Forbidden Fruit

By

Caliboy1991

Chapter 1

Noise filtered into the large classroom next to the fellowship hall. As the small, black hand on the wall-clock edged toward the ten, the room filled up with junior and senior high students. Standing near the medal podium at the front of the room, Adam’s heart raced. Aside from a public speaking class last semester, he had never spoken in front of a group before, even teenagers, arguably the most challenging group to talk to.

As the students eyed his unfamiliar face, Adam second-guessed his decision to be the youth pastor intern at Wakefield Community Church for the summer. What had he been thinking? Sure, he wanted to go into the ministry, and what better way to dip his toe in the water than to be the Youth Intern for the small church’s youth group?

As the clock struck ten, he remembered Pastor Rich’s words during his interview a couple of weeks before, “Wakefield can’t afford a full-time youth pastor, Adam. We rely on college students, like yourself, to fill in during the summer. Organize our summer programs, which includes a few trips to Six Flags and the like, and to organize the kids to help out with Vacation Bible School in July. What with the pandemic, summer camp’s been canceled this year, that’s pretty much it, except leading the youth group’s Sunday school lesson.”

About two dozen kids stared back at him. They knew he was just there for the summer.

Adam cleared his throat, glanced down at his notes, and said, “Let’s see a show of hands, everyone who’s glad school is out, raise them high.”

The older kids shared glances as they tentatively raised their hands into the air. Raising hands wasn’t cool. The younger students were louder in their appreciation.

Adam shifted gears, “We’ve got some great plans this summer. Despite the last year and a half of this pandemic, we’re going to have an awesome time. As you can tell, some things are a bit different today. Jason, your spring Youth Intern, graduated, and now y’all get me. I’m Adam Weston, and I’m not the only person new today. This week, all the kids who just graduated from the sixth grade are now in the youth group. So, let’s welcome our new seventh graders and get them to stand up, please.”

A halfhearted smattering of applause welcomed the four kids who rose from their seats. Adam nodded toward a willowy girl sitting on the second row, “Ladies first. Please tell everyone your name and something unusual about yourself.”

The girl flushed with two dozen sets of eyes on her, “Um, I’m Tiffany Echols. Something unusual? I was born in Canada.”

Adam pointed to another girl. She was heavyset with frizzy red hair, “Hi…I’m Laura Manningham. I, uh, made the honor roll all last year.”

The third student was a boy. For a twelve-year-old, he was tall. Almost five and a half feet and platinum blond. He grinned sheepishly as several of the other kids waved and smiled at him. “I’m Jason Madsen. I guess it would be cheating to say that my dad’s the pastor here. Something folks might not know is that I’m adopted.”

The final student standing was in the last row of chairs. Physically, he was the opposite of the other boy. He was fully a foot shorter than Jason, with dark brown hair that hadn’t seen a comb in several days. “Um, I’m Isaiah. Something unique? I dunno… I’ll be the youngest seventh-grader in school. My birthday was the week before the cut-off.”

Unlike Jason’s treble adolescent voice, Isaiah’s voice was clear and unbroken. Unlike the other newly minted seventh graders, Adam worried the last boy, because of his clearly pre-adolescent look, wouldn’t fit in as well as the three other seventh graders. For reasons he wouldn’t dwell on, Adam decided he would do what he could to help the youngster acclimate to the youth group.

Then, Adam went around to the other twenty kids and had everyone else introduce themselves. There was no way he’d remember everyone’s names, but it was a good start.

Leaning against the podium, Adam felt a bit more acclimated. After leading the group in a short prayer, he opened his Bible, “Anyone familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego?”

Hands flew up around the room, just as he’d anticipated. He smiled, “I’ll admit, those guys were pretty tight. They had it all. Good standing, prestige, and all that. It turned out pretty good for them. And they’re heroes in the Old Testament. But I want to talk about someone else. Who can tell me who was Ruth, and what was she known for?”

Jason, one of the new seventh graders, raised his hand. Adam bit back a smirk. Count on the preacher’s kid to know the answer. He pointed to the youngster, “It’s probably cheating to call on the pastor’s son, but go on.”

With a touch of crimson in his cheeks, the boy said, “She was a foreigner in Israel. And she was an ancestor of King David.”

With nerves slowly calming from the newness of standing in front of the group, Adam stepped to the side of the podium, “Right. But why include her story in the Bible?”

He called on one of the girls on the front row, and the remainder of the time passed by, as Adam discussed Ruth’s loyalty for her mother-in-law and how she was a conduit of change. As the class broke up, he said, “There are permission slips on the table next to the donuts. If you’re going to Six Flags, pick one up before you leave. Try to have them back by next week with your money.”

Adam straightened the chairs and threw away the empty donut box before turning the light off. He hadn’t gone more than a few steps into the fellowship hall when a young woman came over to him. Right behind her was the other seventh-grade boy. She wore her brown hair in a simple ponytail and wore only a touch of makeup. There was no way she was a day over thirty. “Mr. Weston –“

Stopping, Adam offered his hand, “Please, just Adam. Mrs…”

The woman’s shake was delicate, “Miss Clayton. But, please just Amanda. I’m Isaiah’s mom.”

She turned, “Isaiah, honey, why don’t you go on upstairs and grab a pew. I’ll be along directly.”

The boy looked disappointed at being dismissed, but he gave a tiny wave at Adam and left. He was halfway across the fellowship hall when his mom said, “We’ve only been coming to Wakefield since we moved to town at the beginning of the year. We’re still feeling our way around.”

Adam knew the feeling well. He put on his best pastoral smile, “Me, too. This is actually my first week as the youth group intern. How can I help you?”

“It’s about Isaiah. Since moving here, he hasn’t made hardly any friends.”

Adam could relate. He’d been in a similar-sized youth group when he’d started junior high. Just like Isaiah, he had been new to town. Moving back to his mom’s hometown, following his parents’ divorce had been hard on his twelve-year-old self. It would have been worse if not for Clint, one of the older kids in the youth group who had taken him under his wing.

“If he’s going on any of our outings, Isaiah will get to know some of the other kids, and I’m sure he’ll make some friends.”

Amanda smiled wanly, “I hope so. The one friend he’s managed to make since we moved here, he just had a falling out with. I worry he’s afraid of getting hurt again.”

Adam gazed at the young mother. He sensed she was getting to the reason she’d stopped him.

She continued, “I know you’ll be here for all the kids while you’re their youth pastor this summer, but if you can find the time, can you mentor Isaiah? He’s feeling lost right now, and junior high can be brutal on sensitive kids, like my son.”

Things started to click in Adam’s mind now. Single mom, young son. No father-figure. The kid had no male role model. Without realizing it, his head was nodding as Amanda finished. “I’ll do my best. But please remember, I’m only at Wakefield through the end of the summer.”

A warm smile spread across Amanda’s face, “I know. And I wouldn’t ask, except I’m worried about my son, and I just felt like God was prompting me to talk to you.”

With that, she turned and hurried up the stairs leading from the fellowship hall to the foyer of the church, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts. Short, brown-headed Isaiah reminded him of himself at that age. That realization triggered a memory, and Adam couldn’t help but wonder what had he just agreed to?

As he headed up the stairs, other memories he had locked away flooded back into his mind. He was the scrawny seventh-grader, new to junior high. His youth pastor at the time had put together a mentoring program, partnering older students with younger, as a way of fusing the youth group together. Clint had been his mentor. Sixteen years old and popular with the other kids in the youth group. Several months passed as Adam and Clint got to know each other.

Clint was everything he wanted to be. Tall, handsome, and popular. Adam had adored the older boy. When his mom had to travel out of town on business, she mentioned it to Clint, who volunteered to watch Adam. The two of them had been watching one of the Avenger movies, Adam leaning against the older boy’s arm, when Clint shifted and draped his arm around his shoulder. Twelve-year-old Adam felt a thrill run throughout his body as he lay his head on Clint’s chest.

When the movie had ended, he looked up into his sixteen-year-old hero’s eyes and felt something between him and the older boy. When Clint leaned down and kissed him, the part of him that should have been repelled remained silent as he returned the kiss.

Later that same evening, as they were getting ready for bed, Clint asked Adam if he wanted to join him in the shower. Before he could find the words to say yes, his penis strained at his pants. Sure, he’d seen other boys naked in the showers in gym class, but standing right next to Clint was an entirely different experience. The older boy was huge, at least to Adam’s eyes. He had to have been almost six inches. Contrasted to his own meager four inches, it was big.

That had been the first time anyone else had ever touched Adam down there. Clint’s fingers had been gentle yet eager as the older teen stroked him to the first orgasm he’d ever experienced. Adam still remembered the shocked look on his own face when a thin stream of clear liquid shot out onto Clint’s fingers.

Adam stopped on the stairs. The guilt he felt as a boy seemed as real at twenty as it had been at twelve. No doubt, if that had been the only time between him and Clint, he would have simply chalked it up as experimentation he later came to realize was a hallmark of male adolescence. But the next time Clint saw him, the older boy confessed that even though he knew it was wrong for them to do things together, he didn’t care. He really liked Adam, and doing stuff with the boy made him feel better, even if it was wrong. Adam had felt the same thing. He didn’t know how to stop himself from feeling the way he felt when Clint was around.

Their relationship lasted until Clint graduated from high school a few weeks after Adam turned fourteen. After that, he never saw the older teen again. Clint had been his anchor, the one who explained why their relationship was right when the world around them told them it wasn’t. And with the older boy gone, even though the attractions to other boys, either at school or at church, continued, Adam knew he had to ignore it. After all, it was a sin.

And for a few years, he had. Despite the typical travails of adolescence, Adam had slid into the youth group clique Clint had left behind, and things went well enough. Then, his senior year, his youth pastor asked him to mentor one of the new seventh graders. Jacob Easterbrook had been his polar opposite when it came to appearances. He had the blondest shock of hair Adam had ever seen as well as the bluest eyes.

And within a couple of months, Adam realized what he had shut away after Clint left was still there, just below the surface. He was sexually drawn to young Jacob, even more so than he’d been to Clint. Adam spent most of his senior year fighting the urge to make a move on the boy. And he nearly succeeded. The youth group had taken a mission trip at spring break down to the Rio Grande Valley to help build a church and conduct vacation Bible school in the impoverished Colonias along the north side of the Mexican border. On their final night, Adam and Jacob were walking around the hotel where they stayed for the week. They stopped between two church vans, and as they shared a Mountain Dew, Adam, in a moment of weakness, leaned over and kissed Jacob.

Maybe things would have been different if the boy had pulled back or gone and told on him. Instead, Jacob leaned into the kiss, his lips eager for Adam’s. The remaining couple of months of school, Adam was reckless and foolish, getting the younger boy alone whenever they could. Which wasn’t very often or for very much time. It never progressed past mutual masturbation, save for one time when Adam gave Jacob a blowjob a couple of weeks before heading off to college.

Adam had spent the past two years desperately trying to forget about Jacob. It wasn’t who he wanted to be, of that, he was sure. As best as he was able, he put all that behind him and even found a nice girlfriend at the start of his sophomore year. In fact, he would call Becky and talk to her. If he could hear her voice, maybe he could forget all about the feelings unlocked inside him.

***

The room wasn’t hot and stuffy. Isaiah knew that. But it didn’t change how it felt. All the other kids were talking and laughing as the youth group meeting broke up. And he felt more alone in that room than he was anywhere else. The other kids were total strangers. The few times they said something to him, Isaiah hadn’t known how to respond, and monosyllabic words weren’t useful for continuing the conversation.

His mom had told him to get one of the permission slips, so he grabbed one on his way out the door. He stopped, his hand resting on the doorframe, and looked back. The new youth pastor was collecting his things. He looked how Isaiah imagined a youth pastor was supposed to look. His light brown hair was neatly parted down one side and the tie around his neck was loose, not really hiding the unbuttoned top button on his yellow dress shirt. Even his pressed blue jeans looked right. It completed the image in Isaiah’s mind of I may be an adult, but I’m still approachable.

More than that, Adam had a friendly smile. Even when he’d put the boy on the spot at the beginning of the meeting, his smile made Isaiah feel good about introducing himself, despite how lonely he felt.

“Hey munchkin, how was your first day in the youth group?”

He turned. His mom smiled at him as she tousled his unkempt hair. “Okay, I guess. Here’s the permission slip you wanted. Do I really have to go?”

His mom looked at him like he had three eyes, “What? Who are you, and what have you done to my son? No child of mine could possibly refuse a trip to Six Flags.”

Isaiah smirked at his mom’s exaggerated manner, “None of the other kids like me.”

His mom’s face grew serious, “I don’t think that’s true. You just need to give them time to get to know you.”

Isaiah’s mouth twisted into a frown, “Like Josh?

He blinked his eyes rapidly as he felt pressure behind them. Thinking about the one person he’d befriended since moving to this crappy city made his heart ache. Especially when he recalled that moment a few weeks earlier when Josh had told him he didn’t want to be Isaiah’s friend anymore.

His mom frowned at the name, “He doesn’t know what a good friend you’d have been to him. That’s his loss.”

His mom’s eyes cut away as the youth pastor came out of the classroom, “Things will be better here. I promise. Let me talk with your youth pastor.”

Isaiah followed his mom across the cracked linoleum flooring. Not for the first time, he thought Adam had kind eyes. In hindsight, he wished Josh would have had eyes like that. Maybe then, he wouldn’t have pushed him away when he tried to get close to the other boy.

His mom said, “Mr. Weston –“

It wasn’t just Adam’s eyes, Isaiah realized. His smile radiated warmth, too. “Please, just call me Adam. Mrs. –“

“Miss Clayton. Please, just call me Amanda. I’m Isaiah’s mom.”

Even the way the young man spoke set the boy’s mind at ease. If he had to go to Six Flags with the other kids in the youth group, maybe Adam would make some of the other kids be nice to him and let him hang out with them.

His mom turned, “Isaiah, honey, why don’t you go on upstairs and grab us a seat. I’ll be along directly.”

He wanted to hear what his mom had to say to the youth pastor. But the look she gave him brooked no argument. Still, it felt right to wave and smile at Adam as he headed up to the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was larger than the congregation’s needs. There were long, wooden pews for at least three hundred people. But it was maybe half-full. Isaiah had no problem finding a place toward the back where his mom could easily see him.

The stain-glass windows defused the natural sunlight pouring in. There were at least a dozen scenes from the Bible composed of cut, colored glass. One that Isiah found himself studying was that of a young teenager. In one hand, he held a stone, in the other a sling. The youth made of cut-glass stared off to the side. Isaiah imagined the boy eying Goliath as he weighed the stone in his hand. Seeing the resolute youth, Isaiah thought David never had to deal with rejection from his best friend.

Still, Isaiah knew it was his own fault. Had he not tried kissing Josh, then the boy would still be his friend. Josh had been the only kid in school to befriend him. And they really had hit it off. They’d had a sleepover at Josh’s and then a couple of more at Isaiah’s. And over that time, Isaiah realized he really liked Josh, maybe more than just as a friend.

Isaiah knew it was wrong to feel such a strong attraction to Josh, but it wasn’t something he could ignore or turn off. And even though he’d tried a half-dozen different ways to let the other boy know how he felt, nothing Isaiah did or said managed to get through to Josh. Until that fateful kiss a few weeks before.

The look of horror in Josh’s eyes when Isaiah ended the kiss would be with him forever. The angry tone of Josh’s voice still rattled him, even now. “Y-you k-kissed me! What the hell, Isaiah?”

Isaiah was shocked at the other boy’s reaction, “I t-thought you liked me, too. I, I…”

Josh glared at him, “Not like that. I thought you wanted to be my friend, not to do gay stuff. That stuff is wrong, and you know it.”

Tears had spilled down Isaiah’s cheeks as the other boy climbed into the top bunk. “I’m sorry, Josh. I really do like you and thought…”

Isaiah didn’t know what to say. Josh turned away from him, facing the wall, “That’s gross, man. I’m not gay. I thought you knew that about me.”

Neither boy got much sleep that night, and the next morning, Josh had told Isaiah’s mom he wanted to go home. As the other boy climbed out of the car at his house, Isaiah cried out, “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Josh, eyes blinking back tears, shot back, “But you freaking kissed me! You shouldn’t have done that.”

Isaiah’s eyes moved on from the glass image of David. He turned his attention to the organist. She was a blue-haired lady. The boy wasn’t particularly good at guessing old people’s ages, but if he had to guess, she looked as old as dirt. He didn’t recognize the hymn either.

Tuning out the organ, Isaiah remembered the shocked look on his mom’s face as Josh walked away. They stayed parked in front of the other boy’s house until he disappeared inside. Then, as she pulled away, his mom said, “What just happened, Isaiah?”

He had muttered, “Nothing.”

“What just happened wasn’t nothing. Try again.”

The tears running down his cheeks were hot, nearly scalding on his delicate skin. “I thought Josh really liked me back.”

“So, you tried to kiss him.” It was more a statement of fact than a question.

Isaiah nodded.

The drive home was painful in its silence. When his mom pulled the car under the carport, she turned it off. Instead of getting out of the car, she said, “How long have you felt this way?”

“About Josh?”

“Well, about another boy,” she clarified.

“Josh was the first boy I ever tried to kiss. First anything,” Isaiah said, looking at his mom out of the corner of his eye. “Do you think I’m gay?”

His mom drew in a sharp breath and blew it noisily out her mouth, “I can’t answer that. I’m not you. Why? Do you?”

Isaiah shrugged. Some of the kids in the sixth grade has started dating each other. The idea of kissing a girl just didn’t sound much fun. Not like he’d felt when he thought about kissing Josh. He had convinced himself his best, but only friend had wanted the kiss just as much. Boy, had he been wrong. “I don’t know. Maybe. I had wanted Josh to be my first kiss.”

His mom slid the keys into her purse and opened the door, “Maybe even a boyfriend?”

Feeling shame, Isaiah nodded as fresh tears slid down his face. His mom got out of the car and came around to his side, and opened the door. When he climbed out, his mom wrapped her arms around him, “I love you, kiddo.”

“Y-you’re not mad, are you?”

Another long sigh, “Not at you, Isaiah. It’s my fault. I thought I could be your mom and dad. But I was wrong. You’ve needed a good father figure, and I messed that up.”

Isiah shook away the memory as the preacher came to the pulpit and prayed. Isaiah looked down at his shoes, wondering what his mom was talking about with Adam. He really hoped she wasn’t telling him about him and Josh. He couldn’t live with the idea that the youth pastor would know about his dirty secret.

As the preacher’s voice echoed across the half-full sanctuary, Isaiah lowered his head, praying the feelings he’d felt with Josh would go away. When he finished, he felt a hand on his back. When he opened his eyes, his mom smiled at him.

Chapter 2

Setting his notepad down, Adam glanced at the clock on his phone. Becky should be home by now. The lesson plan for Wednesday evening youth group could wait. The past couple of days had been rough. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep old memories locked away.

He cycled through the contacts on his phone until he found Becky’s. As he pressed her number, he thought about their relationship over the past year. He had met her the first week of his sophomore year. They’d met at church but had become friends when they found themselves in the same Intro to Physics class. He was interested in the ministry, and Becky wanted to become a teacher, and neither was very good at physics, so naturally, they teamed up as study-buddies. By the end of the fall semester, Adam asked Becky out, and they’d been casually dating ever since.

“Hey, Adam, how’s Wakefield treating you?” came the voice from the other end of the call.

“Sup, Becks? Not bad. Wish you’d stayed in town for the summer. I don’t know what to do with myself when you’re not around.”

The laughter on the other end brought a smile to Adam’s face. She said, “I know the feeling. I felt the same way. Then I ran into some of my old girlfriends. We’re going to go catch a movie this Friday night.”

“Sounds fun,” Adam said. He really did miss his girlfriend. Whenever Becky was around, the creeping feelings locked away were gone. No, not entirely gone, but certainly held at bay and under control. Now, a week and a half after starting this summer youth pastor gig, he felt shaky and afraid that everything he’d done to put his old self away was slowly unraveling. If Becky wasn’t half a continent away, he knew he could conquer these unbidden thoughts.

“When are you planning on coming back into town for the fall semester?”

More laughter, “Jeeze, Adam, the summer’s barely underway, and you’re already trying to get me back to out there. Probably won’t make it back until mid-August. You think you can manage without me until then?”

Adam put more cheer into his voice than he felt, “Of course, Becks. Did I mention I’m taking the kids up to Six Flags tomorrow?”

“Better you than me. I don’t like roller coasters.”

“Note to self, no dates that include roller coasters,” Adam said with a chuckle.

By the time Becky had to get off the phone, Adam felt better, back in control. He told himself there wasn’t really any reason for him to feel the way he had. None of the kids in the youth group looked at all like Clint, and he had nothing to worry about. But the less he thought about Jacob, the better.

***

“Mom, do I have to?” Isaiah said as his mom pulled into the church’s parking lot.

“Yes. You’ll have fun, I’m sure of it,” Amanda said as she parked the car.

Isaiah wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t like his mom was giving him any options. When he climbed out of the car, she handed him a couple of twenty-dollar bills. “For meals. Don’t spend it on the midway, until after you’ve eaten. Promise?”

“Yeah,” Isaiah said, although he wasn’t sure what a midway was or why it would cost money. Looking at the two bills in his hand, he added, “Didn’t you say that money’s tight. If I don’t go, you’d save forty bucks.”

Chuckling, his mom gave him a quick hug, “Think you’re getting sneaky. Go on, have fun.”

The older kids sat at the back of the fifteen-passenger van while the younger took the seats toward the front. That put Isaiah on the seat right behind the driver’s seat. Jason, the preacher’s kid, sat next to him. Beside him sat one of the girls from the eighth grade, whose name Isaiah couldn’t remember.

The drive on the interstate was uneventful. Their driver, Adam, stayed in the right lane almost the entire way. And Isaiah was miserable the whole time. He glanced at his seatmates from time to time. Jason was interesting. Even though he was only twelve, he looked more mature. He even had a bit of fine hair over his upper lip. And, he was even more attractive than Josh. And that left Isaiah with a painful lump in his throat. There wasn’t any reason to say anything. The girl on the other side of Jason occupied the other boy’s attention.

The ninety minutes it took them to arrive at Six Flags felt like the longest ninety minutes of his young life. The other kids were obviously friends with one another and were ready to go on the rides as soon as they could get their tickets and get inside the park.

When they assembled by the Econoline’s sliding door, Adam came around and gave everyone their tickets. “Hey, everyone. Your parents expect me to have you home by eleven. That means we’ve got to meet up in front of the carousel no later than eight-thirty. That still gives you upwards of ten hours.”

As Isaiah fingered the edge of his ticket, the youth pastor added, “Next up, nobody goes off by themselves. Buddy up into groups of 2 or more.”

The boy’s heart sank as the other kids grouped themselves together, leaving him standing next to Adam. He felt something burn at the back of his eyes when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He glanced up into Adam’s face. The young man squeezed his shoulder, “How about the two of us buddy up, Isaiah?”

That kindness reached from his green eyes to his red lips, and Isaiah felt that constriction in his throat loosen. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Adam raised his voice, “Alright, before we all run off to ride the Titan, everyone gather round, let’s say a quick prayer first.”

The boy felt his heart thunder in his chest when Adam took his hand. It didn’t lessen the moment when everyone joined hands as Adam said, “Heavenly Father, thanks for letting us make it up here safely…”

While the young man prayed, Isaiah tried to listen to the words, but the fact was, he was thankful Adam had stepped in as his buddy for the day. Adam hadn’t said anything weird to him since his mom buttonholed him in the fellowship hall a week and a half before. Maybe his mom hadn’t said anything about how he’d fallen out with Josh.

No sooner were the words “amen,” out of Adam’s mouth, than the group broke up into their smaller groups as everyone made their way toward the park’s entrance.

Adam fell in beside him as they followed the other kids. They were halfway across the expansive parking lot when he spoke, “You have a favorite ride?”

Isaiah shook his head, “No. Mom’s never had the time or money to take me. What about you?”

“Yeah. It’s old school, but I like the Shockwave. It’s been here since my parents were kids. You okay with riding the roller coasters?”

The boy felt an icy grip on his heart. The only roller coasters he’d ever seen had been on YouTube videos and TV. And they looked scary. He shrugged, “Dunno. Are they safe?”

Adam chuckled, “Very. Unless you’re pregnant or have a bad heart. Either of those a problem for you?”

Isaiah laughed, “No. Don’t be silly. Um, I guess we can try one.”

It took almost as long to get into the park as it took them to cross the parking lot. Even though the pandemic was under control and a vaccine available, there were still people wearing face masks and observing the old social distancing rules. It was easy enough. The blue circle with feet were placed every six feet from the start of the concourse, all the way to the gatehouse where attendants still took people’s temperatures before allowing people through the turnstiles.

Once they were inside the park, Adam pointed toward the carousel, spinning around with little kids and their parents. “Is that one you had in mind?”

Isaiah could hear the mirth in the youth leader’s tone. The boy squinted up at the young man before shaking his head, “I don’t think so. You’re too short for that ride.”

Laughing, Adam placed a hand on his shoulder, “Fine, let’s go find the Shockwave and see if it’s still as fun as I remember it.”

The walk over to the shockwave would have been worse if the park had been crowded. For a Thursday morning is was surprisingly empty, just a few thousand souls enjoying the park’s thrills and rides. Isaiah stopped in the middle of the concrete path leading to the Shockwave as he watched a train of cars zip along through the double loops for which the ride was famous.

Adam’s hand returned to his shoulder, “You okay with this? We can start with something easier if you want.”

Feeling better with his youth pastor’s hand on his shoulder, Isaiah swallowed hard, “Yeah. I think so. Will they let us sit together?”

Nodding, Adam led him toward the ride.

The line started a couple of hundred feet away from the turnstiles that accessed the platform where the cars were unloaded and loaded. Most people ignored the blue markers for social distancing, and only a few wore masks. Isaiah didn’t miss his. The speed with which riders were whisked through the ride meant he and Adam soon were waiting their turn to load onto the next set of cars to cycle through.

As the roller coaster’s steel frame shook as the train of cars zoomed by overhead, Isaiah’s anxiety grew until, without realizing it, his hand gripped Adam’s.

“If you don’t want to ride this, we don’t have to,” the young man said, bending down close to his ear.

The thing was, Isaiah felt like he had to. Not just for himself, but to show Adam that he wasn’t a little baby. “I want to,” the boy growled as the gates separating the queue from the cars swung open.

Once they were seated and the mask-wearing attendant lowered the bar that secured the two of them in place, Adam must have felt him shaking with nerves. He reached out and put his larger hand over Isaiah’s smaller, “You’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

Then the cars shook as they rolled forward. Isaiah felt the car jolt as a long metal chain pulled the cars up a steep incline. He felt the rattling of the chain all the way into his teeth, as foot by foot, they pulled the train of cars upwards. Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds, they continued to climb. Then, when it seemed as though the whole world was on display below, they reached the top. The cars, propelled by nothing but gravity, went around a hundred-eighty-degree arc. No sooner had they turned a sharp corner then the floor fell out from under Isaiah. At least that was the sensation when the tracks fell down a steep drop. Isaiah’s hands gripped the bar resting against his lap even as Adam’s shout sounded joyous as he raised his hands in the air.

And then it was on them. The first loop came up faster than the boy could prepare for it, and as his head was forced against his chest, adrenaline shot through his still-eleven-year-old body. By the time the car took the second loop, Isaiah added his voice to Adam’s as he screamed, just for the heck of it. This wasn’t as bad as he feared.

With so much force propelling the cars forward, the boy was surprised when more controlling chains gripped the cars, throwing him and Adam against their harnesses and slowing the cars down, before letting them continue onward, around another sharp bend. With a few more twists and turns as well as a couple of more sharp drop-offs, the train of cars looped back around to the starting point.

Once they were out, Isaiah, still on his adrenaline high, yelped, “That was freaking awesome! Can we ride it again?”

***

The change in the boy’s demeanor brought a wide grin to Adam’s face as they queued up for the Shockwave again. The line was even shorter their second time around. Now, as the car lurched forward and started up the long climb to the top of the ride, he glanced at the boy sitting beside him. Gone was the fearful expression. In its place was an intense look of expectation. The only thing remaining the same the second time up the steep climb was Isaiah’s hand clenched to his.

After the cars careened around the U-turn, they plunged a hundred feet toward the ground before heading into the first loop. Taking Isaiah’s hand in his, Adam raised it into the air as his voice was ripped out of his lungs on the plunge down the roller coaster’s steel-shod tracks. Around and around the two loops they flew. The five Gs of gravity forced his head against his chest until they shot out of the second loop. The boy’s giddy laughter was music in Adam’s ears. He had come close to making one of the other groups of kids take Isaiah with them, but as they were shaken around the track, instinctively, Adam knew he’d made the right choice.

The rest of the morning flew by as they rode Mr. Freeze and the Tower of Power rides. As they came off the Tower of Power for the second time, Isaiah seemed to wilt a bit under the hot north Texan sun. It was, if Adam was honest with himself, time to hydrate and eat.

Resting his hand on the boy’s shoulder, he said, “How about we get a drink and food? There are lots of places around here to eat.”

“Yeah. I could eat. But I’m pretty thirsty.”

“Sit down or grab-and-go?”

The boy’s expression grew thoughtful, “Can we rest for a bit?”

Adam nodded as he guided his charge through the thin crowd. He took the boy over to Johnny Rockets, one of the park’s larger sit-down restaurants, where they ordered hamburgers.

After finishing his burger, Adam found his eyes taking in the boy’s every detail. His dark brown hair was a darker shade than the milk-chocolate of his eyes. At a shade under four and a half feet, Isaiah was the shortest kid in the youth group, although sitting down at the moment, it wouldn’t have been noticed. His cheeks were tanned, although, at times when embarrassed, crimson would flush away the light brown of the boy’s tan. The boy, Adam’s subconscious mind decided, had perfect skin, unblemished by puberty’s cruelty.

Without realizing his mind going there, it wasn’t Clint to whom Adam compared the boy, but to Jacob. When he realized what he was doing, Adam tried to shut the thoughts down. Although all Isaiah shared with Jacob was his age, that was all. With a slight shake of his head, Adam amended the thought. There was nothing to compare. Not at all.

Still, his mind wouldn’t entirely let go of that unhealthy thread. In the deep recesses of Adam’s subconscious, his brain worked over the connection. Then, as the boy finished his meal, the youth pastor saw, not Clint, not even Jacob, but himself in the features of the not-quite-twelve-year-old. As they left the restaurant, despite the near one-hundred degree heat, an iciness gripped Adam’s insides as his mind worked over the implications. Was he Isaiah’s Clint?

Oh, God, no! Adam quietly prayed even as his young charge was entirely oblivious to his newly awakened fear. Isaiah said, “Isn’t there a train that goes around the park?”

There was. Pretty much the only ride to survive the parks’ more than fifty years of operation was the railroad. Fortunately, the walk toward the nearest depot was only a few minutes. And their timing couldn’t have been better. A few other people waited as the train pulled into the station. It was an old-style steam engine pulling three passenger carriages. A few people got off the train before the depot attendant opened the gate and let the handful of people, including Adam and Isaiah, find their seats in the open-air carriages.

Isaiah ran on ahead, climbing aboard the middle carriage. When Adam joined him, the boy leaned against his arm as they waited for the train to depart the depot. After a bit, the carriage jolted and rolled forward. Isaiah murmured, “I was worried I wouldn’t have a good time. But this has been so much fun. Thanks.”

Adam had walled away his fears. He knew he didn’t have anything to worry about. The boy was as safe with him as he’d be with his own mom. “Me, too. Now that you’re no longer afraid of roller coasters, which one do you want to do next?”

“Can we try the Giant? It looks huge.”

“Yeah. You bet.” He enjoyed the feel of the youngster leaning against his side. Despite errant mental wanderings related to Clint and Jacob, the balance of Adam’s mind wondered if he could be a positive role-model for Isaiah. The way the boy clung to his side left him convinced he needed a positive role model.

The wait for the Texas Giant was the longest so far, but it was still only fifteen minutes. They rode it twice before they headed over to the Titan. By the time evening rolled around, Adam and Isaiah rode the train around the park a couple of more times, although the boy’s head rested against Adam’s chest the last go-around as he slept.

Adam wasn’t surprised that a couple of the groups of kids didn’t show up until almost nine. Knowing how he was at that age, he’d budgeted more time to collect everyone.

The drive back to their hometown was a lot quieter than the drive up. Most of the kids were asleep before they left the metroplex. He could see Isaiah in the rearview mirror, with his head lolled back on the seatback. He could also see Jason and Meredith, also on the front row. The tall seventh grader’s head rested against the girl’s bushy red curls. Both were passed out. As ninety-minute drives went, it was peaceful, with only the occasional murmured voice breaking the silence.

The church parking lot was half-full of cars when he pulled into the van’s normal space. Parents leaned against the sides of vehicles, quietly talking among themselves, patiently waiting for their kids to spill out of the van, in their zombie-like trances.

One by one, cars pulled away, taking their tired charges home until Adam found himself alone. Or nearly so. As he opened the van’s sliding door, Isaiah slept, his head tilted back. The youth leader spun around, scanning the parking lot and surrounding streets. They were empty.

What the hell? he thought. All the parents knew they were supposed to pick their kids up no later than eleven. Another glance at his watch showed it was already ten minutes after.

Adam opened the passenger’s side door and grabbed a notebook full of permission slips. When he found the one signed by the boy’s mom, he put the number she had left into the phone. But before he could press the dial button, an older model Chevy pulled into the parking lot. Amanda Clayton climbed out of the car, her hair a disheveled mess.

When she came over to Adam, her cheeks were aflame with embarrassment, “I’m so sorry, Adam. I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, it was already eleven.”

Her eyes roamed about, “Where’s Isaiah?”

His lips turned upwards at the woman’s distress, Adam opened the sliding door, revealing her sleeping son. “All safe and sound.”

Relief washed over the woman’s face, “Oh, thank God. Had me worried for a moment. How’d he do? He wasn’t too much trouble, I hope.”

Adam shook his head, “Not at all. He was a delight.”

A note of relief in her voice, Amanda said, “That’s good to know. He doesn’t make friends very easily. I was a bit worried the other kids wouldn’t take to him.”

Uncertain how to respond, Adam pressed his lips together before finally admitting the truth, “Well, he didn’t really bond with the other kids, Amanda. When they broke into groups, he ended up with me. I hope that’s okay.”

Staring at her son, still asleep in the seat, Amanda’s brows knit in worry. “I guess. After he lost his friend, Josh, I kinda hoped he’d make more friends in the youth group.”

Adam didn’t want to pry, but the boy’s mother had strongly hinted whatever had happened between Isaiah and his friend still troubled her. “Give it more time. He’s a really sweet kid. He’ll make more friends.”

Amanda smiled and rested a hand briefly on Adam’s arm, “Thanks for looking out for him, Adam. I’m grateful you see how special he is. I know you’re only here at Wakefield through the end of the summer, but I’ll be forever grateful for any mentoring you do.”

Seeing the sleeping boy, Adam felt a desire to protect the boy from the harshness of the world. For now, there wasn’t any thought about his own troubled past or how similar Isaiah was to himself at that age. He simply wanted to be there for the boy.

Adam said, “My pleasure, Amanda. How about we get him awake so you guys can get home.”

Chapter 3

The van wasn’t as crowded as it had been on the trip to Six Flags. There were only ten junior and senior high students in the Econoline as Adam pulled into the parking lot at Schlitterbahn. The drive had been longer than the trip to Six Flags. Because of highway construction, closer to three hours than two. The younger teenagers pressed their faces against the windows, trying to get a look at one of the water rides rising into the sky.

Treble voice edged with enthusiasm, Jason said, “Hey, Meredith, let’s do that one first!”

The girl sitting by his side scoffed, “Yeah. You can tell me about it when they haul your butt out on a stretcher.”

Adam chuckled at the back and forth. Over the past seven weeks, he’d gotten to know all the kids in the youth group reasonably well. Jason and Meredith were “dating.” Not that the boy’s father approved. Still, Adam hadn’t seen either of the tweens do anything he’d have called them on.

“I’ve got the tickets, Adam,” Isaiah, sitting in the passenger seat, waved an envelope with the group’s tickets. With summer more than half over, Adam knew he’d miss the job as youth pastor for the little group. But he’d miss mentoring Isaiah. The boy had really warmed up to him over the past month. Moreover, he felt like he was drawing the shy boy out of his shell. Even some of the other kids were starting to talk with him more.

After they piled out of the van, Adam grabbed his backpack and called everyone over. After a quick prayer, he said, “Pick your groups, guys. Nobody goes off on their own, and make sure you’re back at the main gate by seven this evening. Don’t forget, when we leave here, we’ll swing by McDonalds for dinner.”

He let Isaiah hand out the tickets, and when Jason took his, he said, “You wanna come with Meredith and me?”

Delight danced in the boy’s eyes, “Uh, thanks, Jason. But someone has to keep an eye on the old man. No telling what trouble Adam will get into by himself.”

Even the eighth-grader, Meredith, got in on the action, “I know. Leave him alone for five minutes, and he’d have dozens of college girls just swooning over his big muscles.”

Everyone laughed at how the girl swayed from side to side, pretending to swoon.

Adam didn’t mind being the butt of their jokes. Still, he didn’t want to make himself too much of a target, “Alright, you little whippersnappers, just remember, there’s water over there, and I’ll baptize the next one who pops off. I’ll hold you down until I know you’ve repented.”

With tickets in hand, groups of two and three made their way over to the waterpark’s gate, leaving Adam alone with Isaiah. Putting a hand on the boy’s now-familiar shoulder, he said, “You didn’t have to do that. Jason and Meredith would have been fun to hang out with.”

Isaiah snorted, “Yeah, right.” He modulated his voice into a soprano, “Oh, Jason. You’re just so muscular. Take me out behind the bleachers and show me that the pastor’s kid knows how to kissy, kissy.”

Adam chuckled, “That’s not even close to how Meredith sounds. I guess nobody wants to be the third wheel on the bicycle.”

Isaiah sidled up beside him, “Right. Plus, someone’s gotta keep an eye on you. What would we do if you got kidnapped by a bunch of college babes?”

Adam had a hard time believing how much the young boy had opened up since Six Flags. When the youth group had helped out with the church’s vacation Bible school, Isaiah had been his gopher, running errands and shepherding the younger grade-school children between the various arts and crafts stations.

Of course, Adam had come through as best as possible to be the mentor the boy needed. In fact, this next Sunday would mark the third one where he would be eating Sunday dinner with Amanda and Isaiah. After dinner, he and the boy would probably go outside and throw a football or baseball around. Or if it were too hot, then maybe they’d watch a movie or play the boy’s console.

After handing over their tickets, Adam went through the turnstile, with Isaiah right behind. A sign pointed toward the changing rooms. With his backpack still slung over his shoulder, he headed that way. The changing room was large. There were a few stalls to one side for the modest. But in the middle of the room was a long low bench. On the opposite wall was a long open row of showerheads.

Isaiah sat down and rifled through his small backpack until he extracted a deep blue swimsuit. Adam dug into his backpack, trying hard not to look at the boy as Isaiah pulled his shirt off and shoved it in his backpack. Or when the boy slipped his shorts down his narrow hips, revealing a small pair of white briefs. But he failed miserably at turning away as the boy pulled those briefs down and off, revealing a smooth middle. Adam tried not to gape at the boy’s small penis. Nestled against a tight scrotum, Isaiah was a bit under two inches long.

The boy stood, causing his little noodle to swing about, as he slipped on his swimsuit. Adam hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath until the boy’s little jewel disappeared behind the swimsuit’s dark material. The young man was stunned at the ease with which the boy had changed in front of him. Adam’s mind was a riot of confusion as he pulled his shirt off. Even though he felt embarrassed at the boy’s lack of inhibition, Adam felt the most appropriate thing was to pay it no mind. Or rather at least to pretend he hadn’t noticed Isaiah.

He pulled his shorts down, revealing a pair of red briefs. As he gripped the waistband of his underwear, Adam realized at least part of him was acutely aware of Isaiah’s brief nudity. The fleshy tube of his penis was clearly outlined, and delaying things wasn’t going to make it go away. Glancing at the boy, the young man pulled his underwear off and grabbed his swimsuit, desperate to cover his seriously chubbed penis. That’s when he realized Isaiah’s eyes were glued to his midsection.

Without saying anything more, Adam shoved his clothes in his backpack. Once his stuff was packed away, in a strained voice, he said, “Ready to go? There are lockers nearby where we can stash our clothes.”

Isaiah followed after him in silence.

Walking over to the lockers, Adam wondered what the boy had thought. He remembered being Isaiah’s age. How he had tried to steal glances at other boys, just to measure himself against them. Then he recalled Clint. Sixteen-year-old Clint. The first time he had seen the older boy naked, Adam had been intimidated by the thick six inches between his legs.

At twenty, Adam had no illusions about his body. Part of what made Meredith’s joke so funny was he was about as an average a guy as possible. Sure, he had a little muscle tone, but not much. The only reason his stomach was flat was that he only weighed one-fifty. It wasn’t because he lifted weights or worked out. The less said about the rest of his body, the better. Some guys are lucky to have a field of chest hair by the time they’re in college. Not Adam. Aside from a few stray hairs around his nipples, the only hair on his torso was a thin trail starting a couple of inches below his belly. Even his penis wasn’t much to look at, he thought. Even when rock-hard, it wasn’t quite six inches.

When they reached the lockers, a part of Adam’s mind, where he had successfully locked away all the feelings he’d shared with Clint all those years before, was laid bare as he thought about Isaiah and the feelings he felt himself developing for the boy.

He’d done everything in his power to forget about how the older boy had taken him under his wing and made him feel welcome, how Clint had invited him into the older boy’s circle of friends. And eventually, how Clint introduced him to sex.

Adam’s hand froze on one of the lockers. He reminded himself he wasn’t like Clint. He could be there for Isaiah, just like a good mentor should. Maybe it was getting harder to ignore what he felt for the boy, but that didn’t mean anything. He could be Isaiah’s friend and mentor for the rest of the summer. And in the fall, when school was back in session, life would return to normal. Becky would come back, and the feelings disturbing his conscience would fade.

“Adam, can I store my backpack with yours?”

The young man’s hand unfroze, and he pulled the key from the lock, “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

Before he could put his backpack in the locker, Isaiah smacked his forehead, “Gosh. I nearly forgot.”

He opened the top flap of his backpack and pulled out some sunscreen. “Mom’ll kick my butt if I get sunburned. Can you spray this on me?”

Adam took the can, “Sure. Let’s start on your back.”

As evenly as possible, he sprayed the boy’s back, going side to side. Then, as Isaiah turned about, he sprayed the boy’s chest and belly. Then he knelt and covered his legs.

“That good enough?” he asked.

Isaiah rubbed the lotion into his chest, “Thanks. Can you rub it into my back, please?”

Thoughts of Clint touching his own twelve-year-old body filled Adam’s mind as the boy offered his back. He forcefully reminded himself he wasn’t like Clint. Steeling his mind against anything he might think of as sinful, Adam’s fingers traced over Isaiah’s shoulder blades, kneading the sunscreen into the boy’s skin. Once he reached the lower back, Adam declared, “There you go. Ready to face the fierce Texas sun.”

Isaiah took the canister back, “Thanks. You want me to spray you down? You’re like really white.”

Adam smirked. He hadn’t been swimming in a while. “Yeah. I guess so.”

Isaiah attacked the pale skin on Adam’s chest with the spray-on bottle. Then he moved around and sprayed his back. The spray ended, followed by a moment of silence. Then the boy’s fingers touched his back as he rubbed lotion into the skin. Adam wouldn’t admit it, even to himself, but Isaiah’s deft fingers felt good as he worked his way down to Adam’s lower back.

Once done, Isaiah returned the sunscreen to his bag and let Adam lock everything away. Then the boy grabbed the young man’s hand, “Come on, we’ve gotta do the Master Blaster first. I saw a Youtube video, and it was totally sick!”

By the time they reached the line to the Master Blaster, Adam was winded and thankful for the sunscreen. Not quite noon and the day was already a scorcher. As they reached the ride, an attendant put a two-seater inner-tube on the loading chute.

“Keep your hands and feet inside the tube, gentlemen,” said the young woman wearing a red Baywatch style one-piece swimsuit under a pair of red shorts.

Isaiah took the front seat, leaving Adam to sit behind him. The young man slid his legs on either side of the boy. Then the young woman nodded at them and flipped a switch, propelling their tube down the ride. Rushing water and gravity forced the innertube down the fiberglass route, through twists and turns and tunnels until, more than a thousand feet later, they ended up at the bottom, near a small lazy river that circled around the rides.

Climbing out of the tube, Isaiah wiped the water from his face, “That was cool. Can we do it again?”

The pure happiness on the boy’s face was enough for Adam as he nodded and headed toward the path leading to the ride’s entrance.

***

One thing sunscreen doesn’t protect you from was the way the hot sun saps your energy. And Isaiah was ready for some shade by the time his belly rumbled. It was early afternoon, and he and Adam had ridden all the rides on this end of the waterpark.

“Adam, can we take a break? I’m hungry.”

The young man offered a tired smile, “It’s about time. Been so long since I’ve eaten, my belly’s rubbing up against my backbone.”

Over by the lockers, Isaiah saw a shack selling barbeque sandwiches. “I’ve got some money in my backpack. Let me grab it, and we can eat.”

Adam, shaking water from his hair, said, “Come on, I’ll get it. My treat.”

Isaiah’s mom had given him enough money for lunch and dinner. As much as he liked Adam, the last thing he wanted was to be a burden. As they neared the shack, the boy said, “It’s okay, Adam. I’ve got enough money.”

Adam’s hand rested on Isaiah’s bare shoulder. “I know. Your mom told me. And I don’t mind picking up lunch for us. Do you want a barbeque sandwich or a turkey leg?”

Despite having the kindest face the boy could imagine, Adam also seemed determined, and Isaiah didn’t want to upset him. In ways Isaiah didn’t understand, he felt similar about Adam as he had about Josh, even though his relationship with the young man wasn’t anything like his friendship had been with Josh. “Okay. But I get to buy dinner this evening. Alright?”

After they ordered and received their food, Adam led him over to a covered picnic table. The barbeque sandwich wasn’t anything special. His mom made better. A lot better, he thought as he took a second bite.

Content to eat in silence, Isaiah thought back to when he and Adam had changed into their swimsuits. He had surprised himself by changing right in front of the young man. Over the past year, he’d begun to complain when his mom opened the door to the bathroom when he was bathing or showering. Being around Adam was different. And even though he’d never let himself make the same mistake with the young man as he’d made with Josh, there was still a thrill undressing in front of Adam.

He’d known Adam could have responded with some comment about covering up, but the young man hadn’t said anything. He just stripped down and put his swimsuit on. Biting into his sandwich, Isaiah felt himself blush, recalling just how big Adam was. And even though he was thin, pale, and smooth, except for the thick, curly hair above his penis, the young man seemed perfect to Isaiah.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Adam had finished eating and was looking at him expectantly. Isaiah felt himself flush, recalling how stiff and big the young man had seemed earlier. “Um, n-nothing. Just glad you’re my friend.”

The words were barely out of his mouth when Isaiah realized how stupid they were. Adam was an adult. Already a college student. The only reason he spent time with him was because it was his job. Feeling a wave of confusion wash over him, he added, “You are, aren’t you? N-not just because it’s your job?”

Adam’s eyes rose in surprise. “Of course I’m your friend. Why wouldn’t I be?”

With his eyes facing the table, Isaiah said, “Because I’m just a kid. And you’re in college.”

Adam’s hand pressed against his, “What’s that got to do with anything? My job is to be the youth intern. Lead the class in Sunday school lessons, and plan stuff like this. But when I get to spend time with you it’s because I like you. Not because of my job.”

“Really?” Adam felt something with Adam that eclipsed what he’d once felt for Josh. Even though he didn’t know what to do with this feeling rising inside him, one thing was for sure. He couldn’t handle a second rejection. No matter what, he’d not mess up and try to kiss Adam. He was sure the young man would disapprove.

Adam squeezed his hand, “Yes. When your mom told me you were a special kid, I thought she was just talking. Every mom thinks their kid is someone special. It must be in some Mom Code. But she was right. You’re an incredibly special boy, Isaiah. And I’m glad you’re my friend.”

When they finished with lunch, Adam said, “They’ve got a lazy river ride. What say we get some innertubes and let our lunch digest while we float along?”

The hike to The Falls was short, the line to get an innertube even shorter, and within a few minutes, they were whisked away on the fast-flowing river. As the water bubbled around him, Isaiah had to raise his voice to be heard over the running water, “I thought you said this was a lazy river!”

Flowing along a few feet in front of him, Adam rolled his shoulders, “I’m not doing anything. Feels pretty lazy to me.”

They went through rapids, slow spots that felt pretty lazy, as well as expansive slides that conveyed their tubes between the ride’s levels. Most of the time, Isaiah’s tube floated along right next to Adam’s, and they talked about the young man’s favorite movies. Lord of the Rings, of course. He found out Adam’s favorite subject in school had been English. When he told his youth leader that he liked listening to some of his mom’s Outlaw country songs, Adam mimicked an air guitar as he yodeled badly Ghost Rider in the Sky. “Yippie I oh oh oh, Yippie I aye ye ye, Ghost riders in the sky!”

Laughing at the horrible impression, Isaiah said, “Do you know who sings that song?”

“Johnny Cash?”

Isaiah smirked, “Yeah. Next time, let him.”

Adam grabbed his chest, “Oh, cut to the quick. Such a fast tongue. Who knew he could talk with it, too?”

Isaiah’s eyes bugged at Adam’s comment. He wasn’t sure, but there seemed almost something adult in the meaning. Although to see the young man’s expression, he was laughing at him. For a moment, the boy’s mind went back to that moment with Josh when he had tried to steal a kiss. He had failed badly at being quick with his tongue, if that’s how Adam intended it. Still, as the boy searched the young man’s face, there was no reproach nor disapproval.

Content the comment wasn’t about kissing, Isaiah stuck his tongue out before firing back, “And stick it out at people who can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

He had so much fun, simply talking with Adam, they rode the forty-five-minute ride three times before finally getting out. While he hadn’t told the young man about his feelings for Josh or the kiss, there wasn’t much he hadn’t shared. In return, he learned about all of Adam’s vacations as a kid, about how he had attended a youth group at a church very similar to Wakefield. Isaiah learned he even had a girlfriend, although she was halfway across the country, visiting family during the summer break. He even learned why Adam had become the youth intern for the summer.

The rest of the afternoon flew by, and before he knew it, Adam wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “We’re supposed to meet everyone else at the entrance in a little bit. Let’s get our stuff and get changed.”

The changing room was mostly empty when they stepped inside, and when they placed their backpacks on the long, low bench, the young man said, “I smell like the Comal River. I think I’m going to take a quick shower before getting dressed. I don’t want to smell like this for three hours in the van.”

With that, Adam dropped his swimsuit and headed over a long bank of showerheads. Isaiah found himself watching the young man’s pasty white globes. Adam really was much better looking than Josh.

The boy shook the thought away. It wouldn’t do to think like that. Still, that didn’t stop him from stripping off his swimsuit and heading over to join Adam in washing off the river water. Between every couple of showerheads were soap and shampoo dispensers, and Adam was scrubbing his scalp with lathery suds as Isaiah took the showerhead beside him.

Even as the boy lathered himself with soapy suds, his eyes stole glances at Adam. Unlike earlier, Adam’s junk was soft. But it was still huge to his eleven-year-old’s eyes. Would he ever be that big?

Uh-oh. Seeing the young man like that, Isaiah felt something twitch between his legs. When he tore his eyes away from his youth pastor, Isaiah saw his own fleshy tube rising from the suds. Before the boy knew it, his three erect inches pointed upwards. Mortified at his body’s betrayal, he shifted his feet, turning so that his body was slightly facing away from Adam.

That worked all of about twenty seconds. Someone else who had come into the changing room walked over and claimed the showerhead a couple of spaces over. Faced with exposing himself to a perfect stranger, who appeared to be older than his mom, or Adam, he shifted around until his erection was exposed to his youth leader.

Finished, Adam turned off the water, “I’ll grab you a towel.”

A minute later, his own towel wrapped around his waist, the young man came back into the shower area and handed Isaiah a towel. Grateful but still mortified at his body’s cruel betrayal, the boy hastily wrapped it around his skinny frame. “Thanks.”

While getting dressed in his street clothes, Isaiah felt close to tears. The last thing he wanted was Adam to think he was gay. And what else could he think? And he’d had so much fun riding the rides and hanging out with the young man.

Wrapped up in his shame, Isaiah jumped when Adam put a hand on his shoulder, “That stuff happened to me when I was your age. All the time. Heck, sometimes it still does.”

Relief at hearing those words nearly overwhelmed the boy. “Really? Oh, God. I thought you’d be upset and think I’m…”

The word died on his lips. Isaiah liked Adam more than anyone else. Except maybe his mom. What if that did make him gay? No, his mind rebelled against the idea. It wasn’t an option. Not after Josh.

Adam, leaning close, said, “What? Horny? What twelve-year-old boy isn’t?”

Scandalized at the suggestion, Isaiah’s eyes were as round as saucers. “You’re the youth pastor, Adam. You can’t say that?”

Adam chuckled, “Maybe I was speaking as your mentor, not your youth pastor.”

A look came over Adam, and he shook his head, “No, even as a youth pastor, I’d tell you the same thing. What happened back in the shower is normal, Isaiah. It’s just part of puberty. Nothing to worry about.”

With that, the young man swung his small backpack onto one of his shoulders, “Let’s go see if we’re the first back to the entrance.”

***

The drive back home was long. Three hours, and mostly after twilight. Still, Adam wasn’t too tired. He thought as he reached for the McDonalds cup. A sip of Dr Pepper moistened his sun-dried lips. Although the kids had mostly grown quiet after the light fled the western sky, before then, all they talked about was how much fun they’d had at the waterpark.

None of the other kids had challenged Isaiah for shotgun, and now the boy’s head rested against the window. He was sound asleep. Part of Adam knew getting to know the boy better was playing with something better left alone. The last couple of years had been hard but good. Becky helped keep him on an even keel. Without her, he wasn’t sure if he’d have been strong enough to repent for the things he’d done to and with Jacob, and before that, with Clint.

Yeah, he thought, I can manage my friendship with Isaiah until the end of the summer. I can be the mentor he needs without fucking it up.

A thin smile crossed his features as Adam kept his eyes open for the exit ramp. He’d never swear in front of the kids. Wouldn’t even do it around Becky either. Still, his thoughts were his own, and his filter was his mouth, not his brain.

He took another glance at the boy before flipping the blinker and exiting the interstate. A few minutes and they’d be back at the church. Nothing I can’t handle. Just a couple of weeks until Becky returns, I’ll be back at my church across town, and school will back in session.

His cell phone buzzed when he came to a traffic light a few minutes away from the church. A glance showed it was Amanda, Isaiah’s mom.

“Hi Amanda, we’re only a few minutes late. I’m about five minutes from the church,” Adam said, with his phone to an ear.

“I’m glad I caught you before you got back, Adam. I had an emergency come up with one of my girlfriends, and I’m stuck in Tyler tonight,” said the voice on the other end of the phone.

Worried, Adam said, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I think so. Probably just an overreaction. How’s Isaiah?”

Another glance at the sleeping beauty. “Sleeping. He had loads of fun today.”

“That’s good. Did he hang out with you?”

“Yeah.”

Some of the stress in Amanda’s voice faded, “I’m so glad. Speaking of Isaiah, I need a favor, please.”

Amanda was two hours away from town. Adam didn’t need clairvoyance to know what was coming. Without letter her finish, Adam said, “Yeah. Of course, he can stay with me. All my roommates are gone. He can crash on one of the spare beds tonight.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Adam. Right now, I adore you even more than Isaiah does. And that’s a lot.”

Flushing at what he thought was unearned praise, Adam said, “No problems. Call me when you’re back in town tomorrow, and I’ll bring Isaiah home.”

He was pulling into the church parking lot when he disconnected his phone. The sharp turn disturbed most of the sleeping kids, including the boy riding shotgun. Adam raised his voice, “Alright, the final ride of the day is over. Don’t leave your trash behind. I know who’s got the bag of Fun-ions. Leave them behind at your peril.”

It was almost déjà vu after the last car pulled out of the parking lot, leaving Adam alone with Isaiah, who was still sitting in the van’s passenger seat. The boy let an unhappy sigh escape. “I guess mom’s late again. Sorry, Adam.”

The young man, leaning against the frame of the van, said, “Oh, did I forget to tell you, your mom called while you were asleep. She got stuck in Tyler tonight. Asked me if I wouldn’t mind letting you stay with me.”

The sad expression morphed into a wide, if tired, grin, “No way! That’s so cool. So, can I?”

Laughing at the transformation, Adam said, “What kind of friend would I be if I said no? Come on. Let’s lock the van up and get out of here.”

The drive to Adam’s apartment was twenty minutes across town. By the time he arrived, the boy was asleep again. It was all he could do to wake him and get him into the apartment Adam usually shared with two other guys from college. Adam’s housemate, Deacon, was due back in a couple of weeks. He had the bedroom next to his, and that’s where Adam deposited a sleeping Isaiah.

After laying the boy on the bed, Adam thought about how much more comfortable Isaiah would be if he undressed the boy down to his underwear. So much more comfortable than his cargo shorts and T-shirt. In the end, he pulled the covers over the boy. Two weeks to go, he reminded himself. He could control the urge to see more of the boy until the temptation was gone.

Once undressed and in his own bed, Adam stared at the whirling blades of the ceiling fan. He reminded himself how proud he should be. An entire day spent in close contact with a gorgeous not-quite-twelve-year-old, and Adam had done well. But as sleep eluded him, he didn’t feel proud. It was all he could do not to get up and go into the boy’s room, take off Isaiah’s clothes, and gaze at his amazing body.

Adam muttered, “What the fuck, dude. He’s just a kid. You’re not the sick pervert who would take advantage of him. Go to sleep.”

What was it one of his professors had told him? It’s okay talking to yourself as long as you don’t start answering back. That didn’t really help either, as he whispered, “Only a sick fuck would molest Jacob or would want to touch Isaiah, too. You’re not that guy. Not anymore.”

Adam turned onto his side. It was only exhaustion that let him eventually drift away into a troubled sleep.

Chapter 4

“Adam.”

Adam’s eyes itched behind his fluttering eyelids as the voice repeated, “Adam, are you awake?”

Groaning, Adam managed, “I am now.”

He cracked his eyes open. Isaiah stood next to his bed, his rich brown hair a messy tangle of morning head. The boy’s chest was tan, with a tinge of pink on his shoulders from the previous day’s sun. He must have taken his shirt off during the night.

Isaiah held up his cell phone, “Sorry. It’s almost ten, and I thought you’d be up already.”

Moaning, Adam threw the covers back and swung his feet out of bed. “I guess I was pretty tired.”

His brain was slowly coming awake. Memories of the previous night’s thoughts crept back in. That’s when Adam looked down and realized his morning erection strained the fabric of his underwear. As casually as possible, he pulled the bedspread onto his lap. Isaiah’s cheeks were tinged in crimson as he offered an embarrassed grin.

Adam felt himself twitch as his stomach fluttered at the thrill of the moment. “Um, like I said, it still happens to me pretty often, too.”

Isaiah giggled, “Yeah. I guess so. I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?”

Still feeling his erection through the bedspread, Adam nodded, “Yeah. Give me a sec, and we’ll see what I’ve got.”

Thankfully, Isaiah headed out the door, giving Adam the privacy to slip on a pair of shorts. Things were back to normal down below by the time he found Isaiah in the living room. The kid stared at the large flat-screen TV fixed to one of the walls. “That’s freaking huge, Adam. Is it yours?”

“No, belongs to one of my roommates. Ryan.”

In the kitchen, Adam opened the fridge. Like most college students, his refrigerator was spartanly stocked. But he did have a half-gallon of milk on the top shelf. Opening it, he took a whiff. “Good news, the milk isn’t spoiled. Let’s see what kind of cereal I’ve got.”

There were boxes of cereal from the end of the spring semester on one shelf. Above it was a box of Fruit Loops from a couple of weeks back.

Before long, he and Isaiah sat around a small dining table, eating the sugary breakfast.

“Your mom let you eat breakfast like this?”

Isaiah nodded. A rivulet of milk ran from the side of his mouth down his chin and onto his bare chest. “Sometimes. Especially on the weekend when she sleeps in. Do you eat this every day?”

Adam grimaced, “No. Sometimes I’ll nuke a packet of oatmeal or grab a breakfast bar. When I’m feeling lazy, though,” he knocked his spoon against the ceramic bowl, “Cereal it is.”

After breakfast, Adam called Amanda. She hadn’t left her friend’s yet and asked if she could swing by his place later in the afternoon once back in town. When he got off the phone with Isaiah’s mom, Adam said, “How about we watch a movie on that TV in the living room? Have you ever seen The Karate Kid?”

“What’s it about?”

Adam laughed as he queued up the movie, “It’s in the name.”

He settled onto the couch, leaning against a throw pillow on one of the padded armrests. Isaiah sat next to him, and before Johnnie and his gang first beat Daniel up, the boy was leaning against Adam’s arm.

Something felt right about the boy leaning against him. The warmth of Isaiah’s skin felt good against his own, and even though he tried to forget about the things he’d done with Jacob and Clint, those feelings bubbled below the surface, no matter how often Adam reminded himself they were sinful. But being so close to Isaiah and his budding sexuality was an intoxicant Adam felt powerless against, even as he worried, he was a moth being drawn to a fire.

Two weeks, he reminded himself, just two more weeks. Then it’s back to school. I’ll be back over at First Church, and Isaiah will be here. Becky will be back too, and all will return to normal. I can handle being close to Isaiah until then. I’m strong enough to keep things in check. I won’t let anything happen between us.

Knowing he could balance his attraction with his responsibility for what little time remained, Adam shifted the arm Isaiah leaned against and wrapped it around the boy’s shoulders. His young charge responded by moving a bit closer and resting his head against the side of Adam’s chest. Then Isaiah glanced up and smiled as he stretched his arm across the young man’s chest. He murmured, “I wish I could stay over here with you all the time.”

Touched by Isaiah’s words, Adam squeezed his shoulders, drawing him a bit closer. “Thanks, but I don’t think your mom would approve.”

Isaiah craned his neck to see Adam’s face, “No, it’s true. Since Six Flags, she’s always asking about you.”

Adam thought about how friendly Amanda had been those times they had talked. “You don’t think she has the hots for me?”

Isaiah giggled, “I wondered about that, too. She said she didn’t, but I’m not sure I believe her.”

The boy’s face grew somber, “I told her you’re my best friend. Really my only friend. I think that’s why she likes you.”

Touched by the boy’s vulnerability, Adam felt a familiar stirring in his heart. What he’d felt for Clint and Jacob hadn’t been merely sexual. Friendship and love were mixed in with his adolescent hormones. Two weeks. That’s all he needed to manage his feelings for the boy. He could let the friendship and love through and lock away the sexual.

Adam reached around with his left arm and hugged the boy, “You’re my friend, too, Isaiah. Although I doubt I’m your only friend. Jason likes you.”

“Jason likes Meredith. He was just being nice.”

To acknowledge what Isaiah meant to Adam opened up the young man’s heart. It hurt him to hear the boy admit he had no friends. “I know you moved to town this year, but surely you made friends at school.”

Isaiah’s eyes fell, “I thought I had. But I did something stupid, and now he hates me.”

Hearing the pain in Isaiah’s voice, it felt like a knife slicing into Adam’s heart, and he held the boy even closer, “I have a hard time believing anyone could hate someone as cool as you. Why do you think he hates you?”

Isaiah shook his head and rested it on Adam’s chest. They sat like that through the movie’s championship fight and the credits. In the middle of a lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Adam’s cell phone rang.

In a cheerful voice, Amanda chirped, “I’m pulling out of Tyler now. I should be there in less than three hours. How’s Isaiah?”

The boy’s lips were ringed in grape jelly. Chuckling, Adam said, “Really good. You want to say hi?”

The boy, his sandwich half-dissolved on a paper plate, took the phone, “Hi Mom.”

A smile danced across his messy mouth as he looked at Adam while listening to his mom. “We had so much fun at Schlitterbahn. Me and Adam rode almost all the water rides. It was so sick!”

The boy was silently laughing, “Come on. You know sick means cool. You know, like how sick Adam is.”

Adam stuck his tongue out as the boy held the phone to his ear. “I’ll remind him. And yes, he’ll text you his address. Bye. See you in a bit.”

When Isaiah handed Adam the phone, the boy said, “Can you text Mom your address?”

As he shot off his address to Amanda, Adam said, “What’re you supposed to remind me about?”

Isaiah got off the couch, “Dinner at our place after church on Sunday.”

Adam pretended to slap his forehead, “D’oh, how could I possibly forget?” He winked at Isaiah as the boy disappeared into the kitchen. After washing his hands, the boy came back, and before sitting down, he unlocked the front door.

When he snuggled against Adam’s chest, he said, “That way, Mom can come in, and you won’t have to get up.”

Firing up the second Karate Kid movie, Adam wrapped an arm around Isaiah, letting the boy rest his head against his chest, like during the first movie. Before long, they were both engrossed in beautiful scenes set half a world away in Okinawa.

By the time the movie credits rolled, Isaiah’s even breathing confirmed the boy had drifted off to sleep at some point. Adam’s thoughts drifted to his plans for the fall. His junior year was the first semester when all his classes were back on campus, now the country had finally put the pandemic in the rearview mirror. Still, he was only taking five classes. That would give him plenty of time to reconnect with Becky. Sure, he would be sad when the end of summer and his internship at Wakefield ended. But given how he felt about Isaiah, getting back into the swing of things with school and Becky was important. If summer were a few weeks longer, Adam lacked the confidence in his self-control and worried he would give himself over to the sin he felt in his heart for the boy.

Deep in his own heart, he had to admit his feelings for Isaiah were really fucked up. When he was twelve and thirteen, with Clint, he had frequently wondered if he were gay. After all, the way the older teen would touch his penis excited him like nothing else could. Except for touching Clint. All of those thoughts and feelings had gone dormant until his senior year with Jacob. What had started as a passionate kiss had ended with sucking the other boy off until Jacob’s watery seed had filled his unsuspecting mouth.

Even at seventeen, he knew what he had done with Jacob was wrong, even as it made him feel so good. And yet, when he headed off to college, he denied feeling gay. It had been a phase. All boys go through it, he had told himself. Lounging beside Isaiah, those same fears were back. God, why couldn’t Becky be back already? She was the salve that made those feelings go away.

Or was she just a bandage used to cover up something he couldn’t accept? He couldn’t be gay. He just couldn’t. To acknowledge that would destroy his thoughts of going into the ministry. Wouldn’t it?

Drawing in a ragged breath, Adam prayed for strength. He couldn’t help how close he felt to Isaiah, but he could control his actions. At least for a couple of more weeks.

The boy stretched his arm around his chest, “You okay? Your heart got fast.”

Adam rubbed eh boy’s shoulder, “Yeah. I guess I was just thinking about how much fun this summer has been.”

There was a knock at the door, followed by a ring of the doorbell.

Before Adam could say a word or shift Isaiah away from him, the boy called, “The door’s open.”

Adam froze as the door swung open. Amanda said, “Knock, knock.”

Laughing, Isaiah said, “Aww, I was hoping you were gonna be so late, I’d get to say with Adam tonight too.”

The moment to shift away was gone, now that the boy’s mom was closing the door behind her. As if his right arm casually hugging the boy and Isaiah’s right hand resting on Adam’s chest was the most natural way for friends to do, the young man plastered a smile on his face, even as he worried the woman would scream at him to get away from her son.

Amanda smiled at them as her eyes adjusted to the living room’s low light. “I’m sure Adam needs a break, kiddo. There’s Sunday School and then dinner. You’ll get to spend plenty of time with him then.

Standing between the sofa and the TV, she added, “What’d you do this afternoon, other than hang out on the couch?”

The boy seemed reluctant to sit up and retract his hand from Adam’s chest, but as he did, he said, “We watched an old movie called the Karate Kid and a sequel.”

“How cool is that? I grew up watching that movie. It was my mom’s favorite. Head and shoulders above that garbage of a remake. Why don’t you go ahead and get your stuff so we can get on out of Adam’s hair.”

Groaning at his mom’s directive, Isaiah shuffled from the room, leaving Adam all of Amanda’s attention. She sat down on the couch and said, “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you watched Isaiah last night. Not having many friends in town yet, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Adam felt his tension ebb away, “It wasn’t a problem, Amanda. Isaiah’s an awesome kid, and I’m glad I could help.”

The young woman’s hand rested on Adam’s knee, “Isaiah adores you. More than you know, Adam. He doesn’t make friends very easily. And even though I don’t expect you to see it the same way, you’re his best friend. I was so afraid when Josh told Isaiah he didn’t want to be his friend anymore that this summer would be hell for my boy. But you made sure that didn’t happen. You were heaven sent, Adam.”

Am I? he thought. I want to kiss your son’s lips, to feel his heart race as I caress his chest, to put his penis in my mouth. I’m not the man you think I am. Instead, Adam said, “I like Isaiah. I’m sure I see things differently than he does, but he’s my friend, too. I’m really going to miss him when the internship is over in a couple of weeks.”

Sure, I’ll miss him, but God, I need to get my head screwed back on straight. I really miss Becky. I can’t afford to let things get out of hand here.

Amanda’s face fell, “I… know. I wish you were going to stay on as the fall youth intern. You’re so good with Isaiah.”

Adam felt his lips twist up into a wistful smile, “Thank. When the internship is over, I’m going to miss him too.”

Isaiah came back into the living room with his backpack in one hand and his shirt in the other. “Thanks, Adam. I hope we can do this again soon.”

The look in Amanda’s eyes was wishful as she stood to leave. “We’ll see you Sunday.”

***

After a long shower, Adam collapsed on his bed in nothing more than a pair of green briefs. He scrolled through his contacts until he found Becky’s number. He was stunned to realize it had been more than two weeks since they’d talked last. And he’d called her then.

She answered on the third ring, “Hey, Adam. How’s the youth group thing going?”

In the background, he could hear music playing. It was rap. A faint feminine voice called out, “Hey Becks, what color should I wear.”

Wondering where Becky was, Adam said, “Winding down. Just a couple of more weeks. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

Becky said, “Hey, turn that shit down. I’m trying to have a conversation here.” Then, lowering her voice, she added, “Sorry. Having a slumber party at Linda’s.”

Adam vaguely recalled the name. The last time he’d talked with Becky, she had said she was catching up with a few friends from high school. Linda was one of the names she’d mentioned. “Sounds fun. I miss you, Becky.”

The volume of the music diminished. But it was followed by a loud shriek on the other end of the line, “Don’t touch me with that. Can’t you see I’m busy?” Then in a normal voice, Becky said, “Yeah. Me too.”

Images of Isaiah in the shower at the waterpark crept into Adam’s mind. “I really miss you, Becky. I can hardly wait for you to get back into town.”

The music continued thumping, albeit at a lower level. Another voice faintly said, “Hurry it, girl.”

Then after more than a handful of seconds passed by, Becky said, “Ah, about that, Adam… I’m not coming back in the fall.”

Adam shot straight up in bed, “What? But we’re dating. You’re my girlfriend.”

Becky’s voice was strained, “Am I? Adam, we were friends. And I liked you like a friend. I mean I like you like a friend. But I always felt like we were just treading water with each other. Not really going anywhere. It didn’t take me long when I got home to figure out why. You were my shield. Pretending to be your girlfriend, I could ignore what I had been denying for the past couple of years.”

Shocked at Becky’s words, Adam stammered, “W-what are you trying to tell me?”

A loud, long sigh emanated from the phone. “I like girls. Spent the past year with you, trying to deny it. But Laura showed me how wrong I have been.”

Adam pulled the phone away and looked at it almost as if it were a five-headed hydra. He needed Becky. She was his own shield. When he put the phone back to his ear, Becky was talking, “…Know it’s a surprise, Adam. But better to tell you now. Anyway, now that you know, you can stop hiding behind me.”

A cold lump of ice landed in the pit of Adam’s stomach, “What are you saying?”

An exasperated sigh pierced his ear, “If you really like girls, Adam, you’ve got a weird way of showing it. You only kissed me twice in all the months we dated. And both times, it felt, I don’t know, you were kissing your sister.”

Feeling suffocating at Becky’s words, He strangled the words, “But… the church, Becky. You can’t… I can’t…”

Adam didn’t know how to finish. Becky’s laughter was strangled, “I don’t know about any of that. I’m tired of being miserable, even miserable with you. I don’t know what I think right now, but the one thing I know is that Laura makes me happy. So, if you want to keep being miserable, keep on doing what you’re doing, Adam. Otherwise, go find your own happiness.”

The dial-tone caught him by surprise. Becky was gone. And she wasn’t coming back. Adam fell back into the bed, absorbing the conversation. She had dumped him. And for some girl with whom she went to high school. Worse, as far as he was concerned, she had seen through the veneer of their dating relationship. She had been an anchor, helping him to stay grounded.

He cursed Becky. It was a lot easier for her to give herself over to Laura than for him to acknowledge what had been staring him in the face since Six Flags. No matter how much he might want it, it was simply impossible for Adam to acknowledge his feelings for Isaiah. Nobody, least of all, the boy’s mom, would understand. And he knew enough to know what happened to people who touched little boys—very bad things.

***

Saturday evening, still trying to forget the trauma of his conversation with Becky, Adam sat cross-legged on his bed with a notepad and his Bible. Even though Becky’s words haunted him, he had made some progress on Sunday’s lesson plan. He’d always liked the parable of the talents. He wanted to start with how Jesus had recruited Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of his disciples. Then, to discuss the parable of the talents. He was getting pretty good at getting the kids to discuss whatever topic he’d chosen.

While he focused on preparing for the next day, the fears of not having Becky in his life were held at bay. Adam was deep in thought about how he would transition from discussing Matthew to talking about how the parable of the talents related to the kids in the youth group. So deep, he barely felt his phone vibrate, even though it was lying next to him on the bed.

Feeling an idea slip away as he reached for the phone, Adam sighed unhappily as he answered the phone. “Hey, Ryan. What’s up?”

“Dude, I’ve got some good news and some not so good news.” Ryan’s voice had a perennially Southern California vibe.

Ryan had been his roommate during their freshman year. And his father, a west coast real estate developer, owned the apartment he, Ryan, and their friend Zander lived in. His lesson plan forgotten, Adam felt a disquiet in his belly, “Um, okay.”

“Dad got a new condo, right off-campus in the new Aspen development.”

Adam was familiar with the development. It was a large planned community, the gate of which was only a block from campus. Everybody who was anybody had been trying to get on a lease since the developer started selling condos.

Adam’s last train of thought about the parable of the talents fled, “Okay. Well, then what’s the good news?”

Ryan scoffed, “Dude, that’s going to be the happening place, and we’re going to be in it. There’s space for four of us.”

Between his scholarship, loans, and grants, Adam barely made ends meet. The rent Ryan’s dad charged on their current apartment set Adam back nearly five hundred dollars a month. “What’s the rent?”

A long silence came from the other end of the line, followed by an embarrassed chuckle, “Well, the condo cost a lot more than the apartment. Dad’s asking nine hundred a month from each of us.”

“Nine hundred?” Adam exclaimed. He chose to ignore Ryan trying to include himself as a renter. It didn’t even merit a comment. “Ryan, if you think this is the good news, I’m not sure I want to hear about the bad.”

Oblivious to Adam’s distress, Ryan was chipper, “Dad’s selling the apartment to another developer. This guy’s got a crew coming next week to move our stuff over to the new condo, and then they’ll be patching and painting for the new tenants.”

Adam wanted to cuss his roommate for dumping the news on him but knew he’d regret it if he let his emotions loose on Ryan. Instead, he replied in measured words, “Fine. I’ll make sure I’m ready by then.”

Adam killed the connection. He didn’t care to hear the rest of what Ryan had to say. He tossed the phone by the foot of the bed before slamming the Bible closed. Why was the whole world arrayed against him?

His eyes stung as he shouted out to an empty apartment, “What is happening to me? My body hates me, my girlfriend dumped me, and now I’m homeless?”

He shook his fist at the ceiling. “You’re not supposed to test me more than I can stand. I’m past that point, God. What the fuck?”

Adam let his head fall into the crook of his arms, at a loss for what to do. Everything had been going so well, despite the feelings he tried ignoring about Isaiah. And then everything had gone to hell, all in just a couple of days. There was simply no way to stretch his meager income to cover nearly twice the rent as before. Perhaps if Becky hadn’t flaked out on him, he could have crashed at her place. But that option was gone.

Closing his eyes, Adam didn’t feel like praying. Didn’t feel like anything. A couple of hours passed by before he realized it was getting late. He glanced at the notebook and the closed Bible. His brain felt like mush, and he set them on the nightstand. Maybe after a shower, he could finish. He had a job to do the next day, and he owed it to the kids to be ready, no matter how he felt.

In the bathroom, Adam stripped out of his clothes. The tan from the waterpark looked good on his shoulders, even as he wished they were wider. His muscles were wiry and small across a chest he wished was broader than it was. Except for a few stray hairs around his nipples, he was smooth down to his bellybutton. A few hairs picked up the trail just above his abdomen, growing into a patch of thick pubic hair above the base of his penis. Staring at himself, he shook his head. Of course, Becky had never liked him for his body. Sure, he was thin, almost to the point of gauntness. But that’s not what girls want.

He chuckled bitterly as he adjusted the water flowing into the bathtub. “No shit. Sure as hell not what Becky was looking for.”

He flipped a knob, sending the water cascading from an overhead showerhead. The warm water felt good on his skin as he tried to stop thinking about Becky’s betrayal or Ryan yanking the apartment from under him. He closed his eyes, pushing the anger away. In his heart, he knew nothing good would come from holding a grudge against either of them. Instead, his thoughts went to Isaiah. Ignoring his anger at Becky and Ryan was easier than ignoring his feelings for the boy. By the time he finished washing his body, his penis was hard, pointing up at a slight angle.

I shouldn’t, Adam thought as he wrapped his fingers around his erection and thought about a beautiful boy with brown hair. In his mind’s eye, they were back at the waterpark, in the changing room’s showers. Isaiah was naked, standing next to him. The boy’s small three inches pointed to the ceiling, quivering under Adam’s gaze. In the theater of the young man’s mind, he reached across the short distance and took the boy’s small erection and jacked him off. Of course, only in his mind could he get away with it.

In reality, Adam’s erection grew sensitive as a familiar tingling sensation radiated from his penis. He sped up, his fingers flying up and down his shaft until he closed his eyes and let the eruption between his legs wash over him, not seeing his semen splattering on the bottom of the bathtub on its way down the drain. When he stopped, at least part of him felt better. However, the guilt that came with thinking about Isaiah that way wouldn’t leave him alone.

After a mostly unnecessary shave, getting dressed for bed, and then finishing his lesson plan for the next morning, Adam wasn’t quite able to shake the guilt that came from masturbating to images of the boy. When bedtime came, he turned out the light and closed his eyes. Long before sleep could come, Adam pulled his underwear down and thought of a naked nearly-twelve-year-old boy as he jacked off again.

Chapter 5

“Catch the door, Isaiah. I’m getting the casserole out of the oven!”

The boy had already bounded off the couch and was nearly to the door when he heard his mom’s voice. “I got it!” his voice echoed through the duplex as he swung open the door.

Even though less than an hour had passed since he’d seen Adam at church, it didn’t keep Isaiah’s face from lighting up, “Hi, Adam. Mom’s in the kitchen. Come on in.”

A moment later, Amanda’s head poked around the corner, “Boys, dinner will be ready in about ten.”

There were shadows under Adam’s eyes. Isaiah had noticed them during Sunday School, but he hadn’t wanted to say anything at church. Perhaps the other kids hadn’t noticed, but something was wrong with Adam. He had been distracted during his lesson on the talents. Worried, the boy took Adam by the hand, “Come on, I got a new poster I want to show you.”

While it was true, he had gotten a new poster, the look in Adam’s eyes worried Isaiah. He grabbed the young man’s hand and pulled him back toward his bedroom. Once Isaiah had Adam in his room, he ignored the poster. It was the newest Ghostbusters poster. The movie was still in theaters and was blowing up on social media. The boy didn’t care about any of that.

Instead, he rounded on the twenty-year-old. “What’s wrong?”

Adam’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Why would you think something’s wrong? I’m fine.”

Still holding onto the young man’s hand, Isaiah said, “Your voice is off, and you don’t look like you slept at all last night. That good enough reason?”

Adam sat on the lower bunk, “It’s nothing you need to worry about. We’re cool.”

Isaiah climbed onto the railing of the bed and used his hand on the top bunk to balance himself, “I thought we were friends. Was I wrong about that?”

Adam shot up, “God, no. I’m still your friend, Isaiah. I promise. Just working through some sh- stuff.”

Isaiah’s lips curved upward at his mentor and youth pastor, nearly slipping into profanity. Adam’s response was the most like himself he’d sounded. More than that, he believed the young man. But Isaiah didn’t understand why he wouldn’t share. He tried again, “If it was me that was bothered, would you let it go?”

A tired smile ghosted across Adam’s face, “Maybe not. Even though we’re friends, there’s stuff an eleven – excuse me, nearly-twelve-year-old boy doesn’t need to be bothered with.”

Isaiah wasn’t convinced, but he let it go as he pointed out some bits of trivia about a couple of other movie posters on his wall. It wasn’t long before his mom knocked on the bedroom door, “Dinner’s ready, boys.”

When they settled around the table, Isaiah sniffed the air. There was a hint of barbeque sauce in it. His mom’s meatloaf was one of his favorite meals. Of course, it couldn’t hold a candle to her homemade macaroni and cheese, which was placed next to the meatloaf. He was ambivalent about the green beans. Even with chunks of bacon in it, it was still green beans.

The problem with round tables is that nobody sits at the head. Of course, that had never bothered the boy or his mom. Now, with his mom on one side of him and Adam on the other, even if his friend was hiding something, Isaiah hadn’t felt better in a long time.

His mom took his hand and said, “Adam, would you do us the honor of saying grace?”

Adam’s lips grew thin before he pasted a smile on his face, “Sure, Amanda. I’d be glad to. Unless, of course, Isaiah would rather…”

His mom laughed, “Be careful what you wish for, Adam. With Isaiah, he’s more likely to say ‘rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub’ than anything meaningful.”

Isaiah gripped his mom’s hand more firmly, “That’s not fair. I can say a prayer, too. ‘Bless this food before us set, it needs all the help that it can get.’”

His mom groaned, “Oh, Lordy. See what you started, Adam. I prefer my prayers without insults added to the mix.”

Before he could launch into another ditty, Isaiah found his other hand engulfed in Adam’s as the young man gave him a wink before saying, “Well, we can’t have insults. At least until dessert. Let’s pray…”

It was easy to get bored waiting for adults to pray for a meal, but Adam was brief. Still holding the young man’s hand, the boy said, “You can always tell when a preacher’s hungry.”

Smiling back at him, Adam said, “How’s that?”

Grinning mischievously, Isaiah said, “The shorter the prayer, the hungrier the preacher.”

Adam released his hand so that he could hold his plate up while his mom dished out a serving of meatloaf. “Clever boy you’ve got Amanda. Quite the wit.”

His mom handed back Adam’s plate and grabbed his own, “Perhaps. Sometimes though, I think you’re only half-right.”

Realizing his mom was poking fun at him, Isaiah stuck his tongue at her, “Be nice, Mom. I’ll pick your retirement home.”

Amanda leaned over and pinched his cheek, “Oh, that’s cute. You think you’re going to survive long enough to pick where I retire.”

This was even more fun than the last time his mom had invited Adam to join them. By the time Isaiah finished his plate, some of the stress in Adam’s eyes was gone. His tired eyes were all Isaiah needed to see to know his friend was bothered and hurting. When Adam put down his fork, Isaiah decided if he and his mom worked together, maybe together, they could help him feel better.

“So, Adam,” Isaiah said, looking at his mom, “taught about the parable of the talents in Sunday School today, Mom. We learned about how the more you’ve been given, the more you should do to help others.”

Amanda leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, “Sounds interesting. What did you get out of it?”

Adam’s eyes drifted between his and his mom’s as Isaiah said, “Well, maybe it’s not exactly like talents, but God has given me an awesome mom and a really good friend. I’ve learned that I should do more for them because of how much God has given me.”

Isaiah’s mom put her hand over his, “Does this mean you’re going to start cleaning up your room without being told?”

He flashed a smile, “Maybe. If I can remember.” Then his smile faded, and he looked over at Adam, “But when my one friend, who means almost as much to me as my mom is hurting, I want to help, even if it’s… how’d you say it? Stuff, a nearly-twelve-year-old boy doesn’t need to be bothered with?”

Adam squirmed in his seat, as even Amanda’s attention fell on him, “I wondered if something was off, Adam. You look worn, like you’re not getting enough rest. What’s wrong?”

The young man sighed, “It’s nothing, really. Certainly, nothing to ruin a fantastic dinner over.”

Isaiah sent Amanda a pleading look. It didn’t matter to him the age difference between him and Adam. The young man meant so much to him. And while he might not ever get to share a kiss with Adam, Isaiah realized, the young man had captured his heart more completely than Josh ever had.

Amanda said, “It won’t ruin anything to admit you’ve got problems, Adam. I’ve had problems bigger than what I could manage on my own. So has Isaiah. So, please don’t pretend you can carry whatever is going on by yourself. You wouldn’t let any of the kids in your youth group do that. Would you?”

Adam shook his head, even as it hung low over his chest. “No, I guess not. It’s just I don’t want to burden either of you with my problems.”

Amanda sigh and leaned back in her chair, “Then you’ve made the wrong friends. I’ve gotten to know you pretty well over the summer. But nothing compared to how well Isaiah knows you. I wish he made friends easier, but that’s not how Isaiah works. And you’re the one person he counts as a friend. Trying to mask whatever is going on, you’re just hurting him.”

Isaiah’s heart swelled at his mom’s spirited attempt to help Adam. He dared not get his hopes up when the young man lifted his chin. All the boy wanted was to be there for his friend. Just as he was certain, Adam would be there for him if their roles were reversed. Biting his lip, Adam shook his head as tears misted in his eyes. “My girlfriend dumped me, and I’m getting kicked out of my apartment.”

Isaiah had heard Adam talk about Becky before. But he hadn’t realized how important the girl was to his friend. But the idea of Adam being homeless horrified the boy. “What happened? How did you get kicked out?”

Adam pushed the empty plate away and crossed his arms on the table, “My roommate’s dad sold it. My roommate wants me to move into a new place, but the rent’s more than I can afford.”

The chair scraped underneath Isaiah as he got up and came around behind Adam. He threw his arms around the young man’s neck and hugged him. He had no idea what to tell his friend about losing a girlfriend. He’d never been through something like that. And, at least to Isaiah, girls weren’t very interesting. But his mom had been evicted a couple of times when Adam was younger. He knew how bad that could be.

Like a flash of light, a solution came to Isaiah. “Mom, can Adam stay with us?”

Adam’s head jerked up, “I couldn’t impose, Isaiah.”

Amanda worked one of her fingers in her hair, a thoughtful expression on her face, “We’re not going to let you become homeless, Adam. I don’t know why you couldn’t stay over here for a few nights on the couch.”

Isaiah stood up to his full four and a half feet, his arms still on Adam’s shoulders, “Mom!” he squawked, “I’ve got bunk beds in my room. Why can’t he stay with me?”

A touch of crimson reached Amanda’s cheeks, “We’ll see, sweetie. First, though, Adam, when you have to move out of your apartment, I want your skinny ass over here if you don’t have somewhere else to go. Alright?”

Adam craned his neck around until Isaiah could see his eyes. “Say, ‘yes,’ please.”

Then he looked across the table at Amanda. “Okay. Fine. I’m sure something else will open up before then. But if it doesn’t, then the couch would be fine.”

***

Adam heard the sound of Isaiah’s PlayStation in the living room as he took one of the plates and set it in the dishwasher. “I really appreciate the offer, Amanda, but I don’t want to be a burden.”

Amanda rinsed a bowl in the sink, “Stop it, Adam. I like you. I think you’re really good for Isaiah. Having you around until something else opens up will be good for my son and maybe even for you.”

Sure, he had confessed Becky’s breakup with him and being homeless, but there was no way he could explain the feelings Isaiah stirred inside him. With Becky gone, he had banked on putting the whole experience at Wakefield, even his friendship with Isaiah, behind him in the fall. If he lingered on, he wasn’t sure he could be strong enough to resist temptation.

Something on his face must have given something away. Amanda turned off the water and tapped him on the shoulder, and beckoned him toward the backdoor. The backyard was small, a patio with a grill on it, and a few square yards of grass, divided by a small fence from an identical yard. Amanda leaned against the back door, “When you finished up your job next week, were you planning on staying around?”

Adam’s shoe dug into the grass, as his hands dug into his pockets, “I don’t know. Sometimes, I think it would be easier for me to put Wakefield behind me this fall.”

Shaking her head, Amanda said, “I don’t give a damn about Wakefield, Adam. But there’s a boy in the other room who is having a hard time figuring out his emotions, but trust me, he adores you, maybe even more than he does me. And if you disappear from his life, it will devastate him. If that’s what you’re going to do, please, just go. Don’t go back in there and pretend to be his friend if you’re going to be gone in a week. I can pick up the pieces. I’ve done it before, and I can do it again. But, please don’t make it worse.”

Shamed by Amanda’s prescience, Adam didn’t know how to respond. He loved the boy. And that was part of the problem. The last thing he wanted to do was break Isaiah’s heart. He feared he wouldn’t be strong enough to not sin with the boy. If he failed there, not only would he destroy the boy, he would ruin his own life.

As Amanda stared at him, Adam managed, “I don’t want to see Isaiah hurt, Amanda. Never.”

Amanda smiled wistfully. “I know. I can see it in how you look at him. That’s why I don’t what you to go. I don’t know why you’re hurting, but if you can see past your problems, my son’s life is better with you in it.”

Adam felt the shame of his attraction to Isaiah and knew he couldn’t begin to explain it to Amanda. Yet her plaintive cry touched him. He didn’t know how he could avoid the temptation Isaiah represented, but as much as he didn’t want to give himself over to his desires, he also wanted to be in the boy’s life, despite the danger it posed to both of them.

With a shaky sigh, Adam said, “Alright, Amanda. When school starts up, I promise I’ll still be Isaiah’s friend. And I promise I’ll keep looking for a place closer to campus.”

Amanda came across the patio and hugged Adam, “Thanks, sweetie. I’m about to burn up out here. A boy is waiting for you inside.

***

Adam handed the keys to the van over to the pastor. “I think that’s everything, Pastor Rich.”

The Pastor of Wakefield Community Church set the keys on his desk. “I hope the summer was everything you expected, Adam. You were a hit with the kids in the youth group. Shame you’re not staying on for the fall.”

Adam looked at the amount of his last check. It would help tide him over until his grant and scholarship money came in. “It was a lot of fun. You’ve got a good bunch of kids.”

“Did the job help you decide any more about your calling in the ministry? Some of the larger churches in town want that religion degree even for their youth pastors.”

Strange how a summer changes people, Adam realized. He’d started the summer gung-ho about pastoring a youth group. And at the end of the summer, he knew he wasn’t cut out for it. The feelings for Isaiah were too strong to shake. And even though he was determined to avoid letting things get out of control, Adam knew at some point, he would have to publicly confront his sexuality.

He said, “I enjoyed the job, even working with the kids, Pastor Rich. But I’ve realized that perhaps I was mistaken about a calling. I don’t think God is leading me into the ministry, after all.”

Pastor Rich gave a short nod and knitted his eyebrows together, “There’s more than a few men who won’t ever admit that they got into this for the wrong reasons. If you’ve come to the realization that your path is down another direction, then far be it from me to discourage you.”

Sitting in the pastor’s office, Adam hated the attraction he felt for Isaiah, even as he knew he loved the boy. Still, it nagged at him that God would hate him for the way he felt. And no matter what he told himself, his faith was in crisis. Fearful of the reaction, Adam still felt compelled to say, “Um, Pastor Rich, can a person still be a Christian and be, um… gay?”

The pastor took his glasses off and grabbed a bit of cloth from a drawer in the desk, “That’s not a question I was expecting, Adam. I guess I can see why you might not want to explore the ministry if you’re grappling with more pressing issues in your life. Let me ask you this, can you still be a Christian if you’re divorced?”

Adam said, “Well, my mom’s divorced. She’s a good Christian woman.”

Pastor Rich said, “Fair enough. Doesn’t the Bible say that if a person remarries and they’re divorced, it’s the same as adultery?”

Adam blanched, “My mom’s never committed adultery. Well, not to my knowledge.”

The pastor chuckled, “Point taken. What about the glutton who weighs four-hundred pounds? Not talking about somebody with health issues. Just some run of the mill fatso who won’t stop eating. Can they still be a Christian?”

Adam thought about the men and women who took up two or even three spots in the pews, even at Wakefield.

He said, “Because gluttony is a sin?”

Pastor Rich nodded, “Yep. Or what about the church gossip? Is she still a Christian?”

Adam wasn’t sure the point the pastor was trying to make. “I suppose they’re all still Christians. But those are all different than gays.”

The pastor’s eyes arched, “Really? Why do you think that?”

“Well, the church is always telling people that homosexuality is a sin.”

“So is greed, lust, gluttony, gossip, and a bunch of other behaviors that get between us and our Creator. The difference is that most of those other sins nobody argues about. Most sins don’t create much conflict. The difference is that gays don’t want to be told they’re sinning, so they get upset. Of course, it doesn’t help when other Christians tell folks they’re going to hell.”

A chill ran down Adam’s spine, “Can a gay person be saved?”

Pastor Rich said, “I sure hope so. Because if they can’t, what hope does Aunt Myrtle, the church gossip have? Or my dentist, who’s working on his third marriage, and he sits in the fourth pew every Sunday. Really, the only person who can answer that question for you, is you. I may spend a lot of time listening to God. But the more I listen, the more I realize each of us is responsible for our own salvation, Adam. Sure, I’m a pastor, and my job, however poorly I perform, is to be an arrow pointing to Heaven. But the rest is between you and God.”

A weight of uncertainty lifted from Adam’s troubled shoulders. “Thanks, Pastor Rich. That really does help. So, what options does a gay person have in the church to be part of the ministry?”

The pastor leaned back, “You remember my dentist? Gifted guy. Has wrecked two marriages, so far. Working on his third. Does he fit the criteria for leadership?”

“No,” Adam admitted.

“Why?”

“Because he keeps cheating.”

Pastor Rich nodded, “Fair enough. What about my Aunt Myrtle? Bless her heart, she’d be on the phone spreading every rumor and tidbit of news if she could get away with it. Would you have her leading a church?”

Chuckling at the image of an old woman chattering on the phone, Adam shook his head, “No. Probably not. What’s that mean for gays?”

“Look Adam, if you’re trying to figure your sexuality out, no matter how you decide, I hope you’d always feel welcome here at Wakefield. The only thing I care about is that matter of what is between you and God. But let’s say that you wanted to become a member of the church. There are certain things that you agree to believe to be a member of this church. For instance, you can’t believe that most of the Bible is crap, and only a little bit is true. That wouldn’t be consistent with our beliefs. Or if we’re looking for a new deacon, in our church, we don’t permit divorced people to serve as deacons. As much as I like my dentist, he’s disqualified from serving in that capacity. There’s other stuff, that’s just an example.”

Adam rubbed his jawline, “That seems a bit harsh, Pastor Rich.”

There was a twinkle in his eyes, “Try cheating on your taxes, Adam. We’ve got nothing on the IRS. I had a friend who I graduated with from seminary. I’ve got a lead tongue compared to his silver tongue. He was at the top of his game, pastor at a big church in Houston. About ten years ago, he left his wife for another woman. Much younger and very good looking. What he did wasn’t much different than what a lot of powerful men do. The world outside the doors of the church would say, no big deal. But his church fired him, and rightly so. And you want to know something, Adam, if he’d been like my dentist, sitting quietly in his pew week after week, he might have gotten some nasty glances from other people in the church, but mostly he would have been left alone. But more is expected of a pastor, so now, my friend is selling insurance in Dallas.”

The pastor glanced at his watch, “The budget committee meeting is about to start, Adam. If you want to talk some more about what you’re going through, call the office and get on my calendar.”

When Adam left, he felt better. At least now, he knew God didn’t hate him, and that left him feeling a lot better, even as he realized he needed to think about what he was going to do after college. He headed back to the apartment. This was the last day before the movers were to arrive. While he had tried to find other options, at least for the next few days, he had a place to sleep over at the Claytons.

Chapter 6

“Isaiah, did you get your floor cleaned and vacuumed like I asked?”

Isaiah let the bedspread fall into place on the bottom bunk as he gathered up the dirty sheets, “Yeah. I even vacuumed the living room floor like you told me to.”

He nearly bumped into Amanda on his way to the laundry room. Her eyes went to the sheets in his hand, “Who are you, and what have you done with my son? Changing the sheets on your own bed without being told. It’s a miracle.”

Isaiah shook his head, “I wanted the lower bunk clean for Adam.”

Amanda put a hand on her hip, “We’ve talked about this. This is a temporary thing while Adam finds a place closer to campus. There’s nothing wrong with the couch, sweetie.”

Isaiah clasped his hands, dropping the sheets in the process, and gave his mom his most pitiful expression, “Come on, if it’s only for a few days, then why can’t we treat it like a sleep-over? I haven’t had one since…”

His voice trailed off. Thinking about Josh made him sad. And it explained other things, as well. With uncertainly and fear in his voice, Isaiah said, “Is it because of Josh and what happened? Do you think I’d try to…”

He couldn’t figure out how to say ‘kiss him.’ Part of that was because he thought about if Adam’s lips would be softer than Josh’s. Part of that was because he didn’t want to lose Adam, and if that meant never kissing him, then that was a price he’d pay.

Amanda’s cheeks were the color of a Valentine’s Day rose. “Um, I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Isaiah squared his narrow shoulders, “I won’t, Mom. But Adam’s my best friend and best friends have sleepovers, stay up late watching movies and talk until moms come in and tell them it’s two AM and time to go to sleep.”

Amanda’s eyes softened, “I know, baby. But Adam isn’t Josh. He’s a good deal older than you.”

What did that have to do with anything? Adam was his friend, and that was all that mattered. Then, thinking back to conversations they’d had when he was much younger about stranger danger and good-touching and bad-touching, his eyes narrowed, and his nose flared, “Mom, he’d never touch me like that. God, how could you even think that? He’s freaking Adam. You know what he’s like!”

Amanda drew back a step at his outburst, “It’s not like that, Isaiah. If I thought he was dangerous to you, I’d not let him come over at all.”

Dangerous? Adam. Never. Although in the dark, silent moments before sleep lately, his mind drifted back to that day at the water park when he had briefly seen the young man’s junk. Isaiah wondered what it felt like. It was so much bigger than his own. Then, there was the thrill of Adam seeing him naked, when they’d stood next to each other in the showers. It was wrong of him, Isaiah knew it, but that didn’t stop him from wishing the impossible was possible. But his mom didn’t need to know anything about that.

“Then, why can’t he sleep in my room?”

Amanda shrugged, “I…I don’t know, sweetie. I saw how upset you were when Josh rejected you. I’m your mom, and I know you better than anyone else, and I know you feel the same way about Adam. Maybe even more so.”

It startled Isaiah that his mom knew how he felt about Adam. He thought nobody else could see how deep his feelings for the young man ran. But that didn’t change anything. Not really. “Then you know I’d never do that to him.”

Amanda shook her head and reached out a hand and ran it across his cheek, “You think so, baby. But I’m not so sure. I don’t have that kind of self-control. Are you sure you do?”

Isaiah wanted to tell his mom he had that kind of control. Since the trip to Six Flags, he’d thought about Adam. A lot. And the better he grew to know the young man, the more he liked him. He had told himself he would be strong. He’d never cross that line again. He told himself those things because he had to. Otherwise, Adam would reject him. But thinking about it, he really wanted to be strong enough never to try to kiss Adam, but he wasn’t sure he would have the will power with the young man staying with them for a bit.

“I…I don’t know, Mom. I thought I could. Jeeze, if I screw up and did try to kiss him like I did with Josh, he’d end up hating me.”

Amanda shook her head, “I think you know him better than that, Isaiah. Like you, I’ve gotten to know Adam too. I don’t know if he feels the same way about you, but he would never reject you over a kiss.”

Hearing those words from his mom, Isaiah realized how badly he had misjudged Adam, based upon his experience with Josh. Sure, he had a hard time imagining Adam wanting his kiss, but the young man wouldn’t reject him. If Isaiah had listened to his heart, he’d have known that. Still, what did his mom mean about how he liked Adam?

“H-how I feel about him?”

Amanda picked up the sheets, “Yes. Are there any girls you want to kiss like you do Adam?”

Isaiah had wondered about that the entire time he’d been friends with Josh. Other boys had talked about how gross it would be to be gay. And even when he’d stolen a kiss on Josh, he’d told himself that it really wasn’t gay to try to do that. But it was. And in truth, girls just weren’t interesting to him. Not the way Adam was or Josh had been.

He shook his head, “I guess not. Am I gay? I don’t think I want to be.”

Amanda turned, “Come on; let’s get these sheets in the dryer.”

When they reached the small laundry room, just beyond the kitchen, as his mom loaded the washing machine, she said, “No matter how you feel about boys or girls, my love for you will not change. But it’s one reason why I think you should have some space while Adam stays with us. Time to figure out how you feel. Time to maybe tell him what you’re going through, but only if you want.”

As Isaiah pulled some dry clothes from the dryer, he understood his mom’s reservation. As much as he liked Adam, he wasn’t sure he was ready to tell the young man he was attracted to him. After all, Adam was his church leader. At least he had been. And Isaiah was pretty sure being gay was still a sin. “Do you think I should tell him? I mean, it’s a sin, and God hates it. Adam might be disappointed in me, even if he is my friend.”

Amanda helped him fold the clothes from the dryer, “Don’t sell Adam short. I don’t want you to feel pressured to tell him, but I don’t think he’s going to think less of you for it.”

He had just peeled a sock from a pair of pants when the doorbell rang. Isaiah dropped them and bolted toward the front door. “I’ve got it!”

He threw open the front door. Adam stood in the entryway, a duffle bag slung over one shoulder. He wore the T-shirt the church had gotten for the vacation Bible school and a pair of khaki shorts. A broad smile split Isaiah’s face as he closed the short distance and threw his arms around the young man’s torso and hugged him tightly, “You’re here! Come on in!”

With a crooked grin on his face, Adam came in and set the bag next to the couch, “Sorry about running late. I had to wait for the movers to get Ryan’s stuff out of the apartment.

Seeing his best friend standing in the living room, Isaiah left the bag alone but decided he wasn’t finished talking his mom into letting Adam stay in his room.

After his mom fixed a lunch of chili hot dogs, she said, “Can the two of you clean up after dinner? I need to go into the office this afternoon for a few hours. I’ll pick up some pizza on the way home. What kind do you like, Adam?”

Adam fished his wallet out and handed over some money, “I don’t want to be a burden, Amanda. Let me help out with that.”

Amanda held up her hand, “You’re our guest. Guests don’t pay.”

The young man kept holding the money out, “Please. I don’t know how quickly I’m going to find something else, and I want to pay my own way.”

There was reluctance in Isaiah’s mom’s eyes as she took the money, “You don’t have to do this, Adam. Whether this is a few days or a couple of weeks, Isaiah and I are happy to have you here.”

Once his mom was gone, Isaiah said, “What do you want to do?”

Adam waved at the TV, “What about a movie? You ever seen the extended edition of Lord of the Rings?”

Isaiah hadn’t seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies. “Extended? Does that mean even longer?”

Adam laughed as he pulled a small USB from his bag, “Don’t knock it until you watch it. Does your TV have an HDMI connector?”

A few minutes later, Isaiah settled onto the couch, next to Adam, as the narrator droned, “The world is changed. I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air.”

By the time the story unfolded on the screen, Isaiah had picked up Adam’s arm and moved it so that he could rest his head on his friend’s chest. He even ignored the rhythmic thumping of the heartbeat as the story on the screen drew him in. He’d never imagined a show so lengthy captivating him so completely. Frodo’s every action with the ring gripped his heart and stirred his imagination.

By the halfway point, Adam had shifted, lying on his back along the length of the couch. Isaiah lay on his side, between his friend’s body and the seatback cushions. The way Adam’s right arm curled around him, drawing him to the young man’s chest felt good. The boy’s right leg rested atop Adam’s. For the first time, he felt like he could tell Adam about his feelings and not worry about rejection. Of course, not now. Not when Gollum crawled across the screen, intent on killing Frodo and taking back the ring.

By the time Isaiah watched Frodo and Sam descend into the valley leading to Mordor, Isaiah was hooked. He hadn’t realized the afternoon had disappeared until the front door swung open, and his mom came in with a couple of pizza boxes in her hands while the theme music played over the rolling of the credits.

Amanda set the boxes on an end table as Isaiah felt her eyes take in the movie and him and Adam lying on the couch. She reached over and tousled his hair, “You boys look comfortable. Is that Lord of the rings?”

Adam pulled his arm back as he shifted away from Isaiah so that he could sit up, “Yeah. All three and a half hours of the extended version.”

Amanda shuddered. “Better you boys than me. Give me a good Hugh Grant movie any day.”

Adam said, “Becky liked Notting Hill. I’ve got it on here somewhere. I can put that on for you.”

Opening one pizza box, Amanda said, “I might take you up on that later. But you boys enjoy your movies.”

Isaiah fished a slice of pepperoni from the box, “Cool. Can we watch the next Lord of the Rings movie now?

Adam stretched, “How about tomorrow? They’ll take most of the day. Have you ever heard of Bill and Ted?”

When the boy shook his head, Adam pulled up Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and hit the play button.

Four hours, two empty pizza boxes, and an empty two-liter of Dr Pepper later, Amanda got up from her seat next to Isaiah, “I’d forgotten how corny those movies were. Alright, Isaiah, it’s bedtime.”

The boy had thoroughly enjoyed the first night with Adam staying there. Sure, Bill and Ted’s antics were great, but even though his mom had sat on one side, he’d still enjoyed leaning against Adam for much of the evening. The more time he spent with Adam, the closer he felt to the young man. Also, he strongly suspected his mom was right about Adam.

“Aww, Mom, can’t I stay up and watch another movie?”

Amanda scooted forward to the edge of the couch, “There’ll be time enough for that tomorrow. Now, give your old mom a kiss before bed.”

Hearing the finality in his mom’s voice, there was no point in protesting. The boy knew he could only push so far with his bedtime, “Fine.”

He crawled off the couch and came over and sat on his mom’s knees, and leaned in for a quick kiss. “Love you.”

Amanda rubbed him on the back, “I love you too.”

When Isaiah moved off his mom’s lap, he grinned at Adam. The boy would never have dreamed of letting his mom kiss him in front of Josh. But with Adam, it felt different. Even better. Enough so, he wondered if the young man would be willing…

His thoughts drifted away as he stepped over to Adam, “Um, can I give you a kiss goodnight?”

Despite the look of surprise on Adams's face, Isaiah felt a thrill at the young man said, “Um, sure.”

The boy sat down on his friend’s knees and threw his arms around Adam’s neck. His heart raced as the young man’s face was as close as it had ever been. Then, Isaiah leaned forward until he felt Adam’s soft lips against his own.

It wasn’t quite what the boy had expected. Adam hadn’t puckered up his lips and passionately kissed him in return. Worried he’d made a mistake, Isaiah pulled his head away, “I…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

He felt like a fool. He should have listened to his mom. God, why did he do something so stupid?

Then he felt Adam’s hand on his back, “No. It was nice. Thank you.”

***

“Thank you?”

Adam turned away from the hallway down which Adam had just gone. He felt his cheeks go scarlet at Amanda’s quip. Or perhaps it was from the shock of Isaiah kissing him. Expecting to see storm clouds on the young woman’s face, he was confused by the bemused expression she wore.

Uncertain about how to respond, Adam said, “It killed me to see the look of hurt on Isaiah’s face after he kissed me. I didn’t want him to think he screwed up.”

Amanda got up, “I’ve got a couple of wine coolers in the fridge. Now that you’re no longer the youth pastor, do you want one?”

Apart from a few stolen sips of alcohol, Adam had never had a drink. But after the kiss and the riot of emotions running rampant through his mind, he nodded, “Um, I guess so.”

In the kitchen, Amanda handed him one as she took a seat at the small dining table. After a long pull, she said, “Do you know why Isaiah lost his last friend?”

Adam twisted the lid off the cooler, “No.”

“He kissed the boy. Josh didn’t react like Isaiah hoped. They haven’t spoken since then. I could tell by the way he looks at you, and how he talks about you, he felt the same way about you. I told him I didn’t think he should kiss you. But my son listened to his heart instead of his mom. Go figure.”

Smiling wryly, Adam took a sip. Unlike the bitterness of beer, this had a fruity, bubbly taste. Even though wine coolers were considered girly drinks, he decided it wasn’t bad. “Isaiah’s got a good heart, Amanda. I certainly wasn’t expecting a kiss, but it comes from a good place.”

A look of relief passed over Amanda’s features, “He really does. Isaiah’s an amazing boy. I hope this kiss doesn’t change how you see him, Adam. I know I’ve said it before, but he adores you. Did you know he begged to let you sleep in the bottom bunk? The reason I told him no was because I was afraid he would try to kiss you when you were asleep.”

After a long sip, Adam set the half-empty bottle on the table. The problem with the kiss was it did change things. The touch of the boy’s skin on his was electrifying. Sitting next to him, watching movies all day long had been heavenly. Now, knowing Isaiah liked him enough to kiss him damaged Adam’s resistance. He had just about gotten himself convinced he could keep his relationship with Isaiah from going down the same path as his relationships with Clint or Jacob. That was gone, blown away on the winds of a kiss.

There might come a time when he would tell Amanda how he struggled with same-sex attractions, but there was no way he could say to her that attraction was for Isaiah. No way, no how. Instead, he said, “I’m still his friend. That won’t change.”

Amanda drained the cooler, “It pains me to say it, but I think my boy is gay, Adam. It won’t change how I see him, no matter what the church tells me. Can you handle that?”

Adam was right behind Amanda, draining the last drop of the wine cooler. Part of him wanted to tell her he knew exactly what Isaiah was going through. It was the same road he was traveling. “Yeah, I can. God doesn’t love your son one bit less because of who he’s attracted to, and neither do I.”

No, he thought, it only made Adam love the boy even more. “I feel bad, Amanda. Isaiah’s first kiss was rejected. And now, the second time, I froze, making him fear rejection again. I wish I could go back and make that kiss special for him.”

Amanda put a hand over one of his, “That girl who dumped you was an idiot. I don’t know hardly anyone who is as thoughtful as you. Even now, you’re worried about Isaiah.”

Even though the alcohol was slowly working its way through Adam, he needed to figure Amanda out. “W-what about tomorrow? If he tries to kiss me again, I don’t want to hurt him.”

Amanda’s eyes lost their focus. For a moment, she seemed a thousand miles away. When her eyes came back into focus, she said, “It really didn’t bother you?”

“No. Not after the shock of it.”

Amanda used a finger to worry at hair, “I worry if I tell him not to kiss you again, that it’ll break him. He’s really sensitive about his feelings for you right now.”

She leaned back in her chair, letting a loud sigh escape, “My head is telling me to let you stay the night and then get you out of here tomorrow. That Isaiah isn’t ready for a relationship with you. Even if you don’t share the same feelings he does. But my heart…”

Adam stared at the table, trying to process what Amanda shared. “What about your heart?”

The young woman shook her head, almost in disbelief, “That you’re good for Isaiah. That I should find a way to have you stay with us, and not just for a couple of days. That part of me believes you could be the best thing to happen to us.”

Stunned by Amanda’s admission, Adam stammered, “Wow. Which of those are your listening to?”

Amanda got up, took the two empty bottles, and dropped them in the trash bin, “Make Isaiah’s third kiss the one by which all others are measured. Come on, let’s get the couch made up. After playing hooky half the day, I’ve got an early morning tomorrow.”

Chapter 7

Adam felt something press against his chest. Blinking away the sleep, he saw Amanda’s shadowy figure looming over him. As his thoughts coalesced into coherence, he realized her hand was on his chest. “Wha-?”

That’s when he realized the blanket he’d fallen asleep under had dropped onto the floor. That shouldn’t have been a problem, save for the fact he had gotten hot after laying down and had stripped down to his blue briefs.

Embarrassed when he realized Amanda’s eyes were roaming over his body, Adam’s hands involuntarily went to cover his crotch. Amanda had the decency to blush as she knelt over him, even as her hand remained on his bare chest.

“Sorry to wake you, sweetie. Did you sleep alright?”

Keenly aware of Amanda, Adam nodded, “Yeah. I got a little warm and took my pajamas off. I guess I shouldn’t have.”

Amanda’s eyes drifted down to where his hands covered his briefs. “You’re fine. I’m used to Isaiah sleeping like that. I think I can handle two cute boys sleeping in their underwear. I’m heading out. There’s cereal and milk for breakfast and leftovers for lunch. I should get home around six. You boys have fun with your movie day.”

A moment later, she was out the front door and gone. Adam grabbed the blanket and spread it over him, and tried to forget what had just happened. A glance at his watch showed it was still a few minutes before seven. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but after a bit, his bladder betrayed him, and he swung his feet off the couch and hurried over to the bathroom across the hall from Isaiah’s room.

He felt relief as his piss hit the water in the toilet bowl. Even his morning wood was back to normal by the time his bladder was empty. When he opened the door, he nearly jumped in surprise. A sleepy boy in white underwear stood in front of the door. Isaiah’s eyes brightened, “Oh, hi. I guess we had the same idea.”

Thoughts of Isaiah in the shower at Schlitterbahn filling Adam’s mind as his eyes drank up the nearly nude nearly-twelve-year-old. His penis was outlined clearly against the white material as he sported his morning wood. Adam tore his eyes away from the boy’s package, “I guess so.”

Sliding past the boy, Adam felt Isaiah’s eyes on him. He added, “It’ all yours. Your mom said there’s cereal in the kitchen. I’m going to grab a bowl.”

Leaving the door open, the boy padded over to the toilet, oblivious to Adam standing at the doorway. Although all he could see was Isaiah’s backside, the young man could envision the boy pulling the front of his briefs down and taking his piss-hard erection in his hands and waiting until nature took its course.

A moment later, Adam was rewarded as a yellow stream arced into the bowl, visible between the boy’s legs. Feeling something stir between his legs, Adam turned away and headed toward the kitchen. By the time Isaiah joined him a few minutes later, he’d poured himself a bowl of cereal and was doing his best to ignore the fluttering in his belly.

Isaiah didn’t say anything until he was seated and shoveling Frosted Flakes into his mouth. In between bites, he said, “How was the couch?”

Stretching, Adam still felt some soreness in his back, “I’ve slept in worse places. It wasn’t bad.”

After another bite, “My bottom bunk is more comfortable. I’m gonna mention it to Mom again.”

Lost in the uncertainty of where to draw the line with Adam, the notion of sharing the boy’s bedroom stirred that familiar feeling between his legs. “You normally sleep in your underwear?”

Isaiah stared into his cereal bowl, a bit of heat turning his cheeks red. He nodded. “You?”

Feeling the same heat in his face, Adam said, “Yeah. But if your mom lets you have a roommate, I should probably wear pajamas.”

Isaiah looked up from his cereal. His cheeks were still scarlet, there was a glint in his eyes, “Why? We did see each other in the shower at Schlitterbahn. It’s not like we have anything to hide.”

Adam finished the last of his cereal, “No, I guess not. Although I’m not sure your mom would want us flashing our dicks to one another.”

Isaiah giggled, “Probably not. Can we watch the second Lord of the Rings movie this morning?”

“Sure,” Adam said before cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast.

Back in the living room, Adam picked up the blanket to fold it up. Isaiah interrupted him, “Can I use that? I wanna lay down on the couch with you. Like yesterday.”

“Sure,” Adam felt a connection to the boy and tried not to think of how wrong things could go if he gave himself over to what he wanted. Instead, he lay down on the couch as Isaiah settled in between him and the padded seatback.

While he fiddled with the storage device’s remote control, Isaiah spread the blanket over them. Despite the trepidation in his heart, Adam loved it. From the boy’s skinny leg pressing against his, to their naked torsos touching, the only thing between the two of them was their underwear.

Then the movie started. The majestic ice-capped mountains of middle earth fill the screen, followed by the faint echoes of the fight that took Gandalf away from the rest of the Fellowship. And both man and boy were hooked. Adam wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders, and Isaiah rested his head on the young man’s chest, turning a great movie experience into a magical one.

When the credits rolled, the boy murmured, “That was really good.”

“Yeah. But The Return of the King is even better. Do you want me to start it?”

The boy’s head shook against his chest, “Not yet.”

They lay in silence as the credits rolled on. After a bit, Isaiah’s arm squeezed against his chest in a half-hug, “Thanks for… everything Adam.”

“Everything? Um, okay.” Adam was in heaven with the boy tightly nestled against him. Even though so much needed to stay off-limits, in a moment of honesty with himself, Adam knew this relationship with Isaiah was right for him, despite the potential minefields. He added, “I’ve never had a friend I liked more than you.”

There was moisture in Isaiah’s eyes, “You really mean that? Even after I tried to kiss you last night?”

Adam felt a lump in his throat as he added his left arm around the boy. Taking Isaiah into a proper hug, he said, “You surprised me there. But your kiss was nice. But I do have one serious regret about it.”

A worried look crossed the boy’s features, “W-what”

The hug in which he held the boy left their faces a few inches apart. Heart beating uncontrollably against his chest, Adam leaned down until his lips met Isaiah’s. The boy’s lips were soft and moist. Although there was a moment of shock etched on Isaiah’s face, it passed, and he returned the kiss.

What Adam had intended as a quick kiss lingered. Time blurred until the kiss only ended when Isaiah pulled back, drinking in a gulp of air. His face was flushed as a loopy grin spread across his face. “Wow.”

Wow, indeed. Isaiah’s lips had been sweet to the touch, better than Becky’s indifferent kisses, or even the hurried, awkward kisses he’d stolen with Jacob. Better even than Clint’s. He swallowed against the lump in his throat, “I hope this kiss made up for my failure last night.”

The silly grin pasted across the boy’s face remained. “Yeah. Can you do that again?”

A heat in Adam’s heart kindled in the first kiss burned as he leaned into a second kiss. The trepidation was gone, leaving only desire. He parted his mouth, slipping his tongue against Isaiah’s lips. A current of electricity coursed through his mouth when the boy’s lips parted, letting Adam’s tongue invade his mouth. The boy tasted of Frosted Flakes and something else. As Adam’s tongue explored Isaiah’s tongue and teeth, he realized he tasted the boy’s essence.

This time when the kiss ended, Isaiah lay his head on Adam’s chest, “I love you so much.”

Adam ran his fingers through the boy’s brown hair. Some part of him knew he should fear the boy’s admission. It only kindled more the heat in his heart. This heat radiated out, flowing throughout his body. Years earlier, he thought he had loved Clint. After all, the older teenager had taught him about sex. But by the time Clint left for college, Adam knew what they had was fueled by hormones and lust. Jacob had been more of the same. And Becky had never been more than a friend masquerading as something more. Isaiah, though consumed Adam from the inside out. With newfound clarity, he replied, “I love you too.”

How the boy, already resting against Adam, managed it, the young man couldn’t say. But at those words, Isaiah melted even more against his body. After a few minutes, the young man felt pressure against his side. Before long, he realized it was Isaiah’s erection pressing against his hip.

The boy must have realized the same thing. He shifted his hips until the pressure was gone. “S-sorry,” he stammered, clearly embarrassed.

Still rubbing a hand in the boy’s hair, Adam thought back to the shower room at the waterpark. Then, it had been essential to keep a sense of propriety. After all, he had been Isaiah’s youth leader. That was in the past, and they were in uncharted territory now. “You remember in the shower at Schlitterbahn? Getting an erection is perfectly normal. They happened all the time for me. Sometimes it still does.”

Isaiah was still flushed, “I know. A lot of the time, it happens for no reason. But not now. It happened because of you. Please don’t be upset with me.”

A chuckle rose from Adam’s chest, “I’m not. Can I tell you a couple of secrets?”

When the boy nodded, he said, “I think your dick is cute when it’s hard. And, you’re making me hard right now.”

With that, Adam pulled back the blanket, revealing the thick outline in his dark-colored underwear. He’d been hard since the first kiss. After feeling the boy’s erection poking against him, he wasn’t embarrassed letting the boy see his hidden boner.

Isaiah gawked at his crotch until Adam pulled the blanket back to his chest. “Do you think I’m gay, Adam?”

Adam empathized with the boy. He knew exactly how Isaiah felt, only for him, he was wrestling with an attraction for a preteen boy. “It’s possible, Isaiah. But if you are, then I probably am too.”

The admission was like a lightbulb turning on over Isaiah’s head. The kisses, acknowledgment of love, and seeing Adam’s erection through his underwear, finally added up in the boy’s mind. “Oh, you are too. When did you know?”

“I really felt something for you when we were at Six Flags. But it wasn’t until I finished up working as the Summer Intern that I realized how special you are to me.”

Adam felt the boy’s stomach rumble, “I think we’re both hungry. Why don’t we grab some lunch, and we can talk some more about it.”

Still tasty after three minutes in the microwave, Adam enjoyed the leftover meatloaf. Isaiah tore into his plate like a man saved from famine. He was mostly done when he asked, “So, if I like you and you like me, does that mean we’re, like, boyfriends?”

Adam sucked in a deep breath, “I doubt your mom would approve. Are you okay with the two of us focusing on being best friends? I think your mom would be okay with that.”

A confused look on his face, Isaiah said, “Why do you think she would mind? We really like each other.”

Feeling the heat on his cheeks, Adam said, “When people my age have a boyfriend or a girlfriend there’s usually more than just kissing. You tell her we’re boyfriends, and she’ll think we’re playing with each other’s dicks and having sex.”

“Sex? Boys can have… Oh. The butt?” The confused expression gave way to one of incredulity.

The expression on the boy’s face was priceless. Isaiah was deeply attracted to Adam, but he was still terribly naïve about what boyfriends did together. Adam nodded, “Yeah. And if your mom thought I was doing something like that with you, she’d hate me. Probably call the cops on me and make my life very bad. That’s why we should be best friends instead of boyfriends.”

It was hard telling the boy they shouldn’t touch, even though every fiber in Adam’s body cried to hold the boy, to explore every inch of his naked body, show him what pleasures could be had between his legs. But he wouldn’t risk Amanda’s fury.

After a long, thoughtful silence, Isaiah nodded, “You’re right. But does that mean we can’t kiss anymore?”

Chuckling, Adam leaned in and answered the question with a kiss.

***

Isaiah was mesmerized as Frodo boarded the Elvish boat that would take him, Bilbo and Gandalf across the sea to the Undying Lands. Although it paled in comparison to his newly awakened love for Adam, he was definitely a convert to the beauty of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The day had been perfect. Lounging around in his underwear all day long with Adam was about as perfect a day as he could imagine.

He let his eyes close as he fell asleep to the swelling musical score that ended the best movie series he’d ever seen.

His eyes flew open when he heard the front door rattle, and a moment later, the door swung open, and his mom came inside. He’d grown so comfortable he forgot he was laying side by side with Adam in nothing more than his underwear. At some point after drifting off to sleep, the blanket had fallen onto the floor.

His mom closed the door as he felt Adam stirring awake. Amanda slowly shook her head as her lips curled at the corners, “You boys really do look cute lying there in your undies. Did you finish the Lord of the Rings movies?

It never dawned on Isaiah his mom would disapprove of him cuddling with Adam, watching movies in their underwear. Since his falling out with Josh, he’d become self-conscious about his body, going from running around naked after his baths to wearing underwear around the house most of the time. Apart from cuddling with Adam, chilling out in his underwear was normal.

Adam snatched the blanket from the floor and pulled it over his midsection, much to Amanda’s amusement. Chuckling, she said, “Don’t be modest on account of me. God knows, Isaiah’s not. Why last Christmas, he streaked through the house in nothing more than a Santa’s hat and a smile.”

Isaiah blushed at the memory. It had been Christmas Eve, and he had just finished taking a bath. “Mom, please. I haven’t done anything like that in ages!”

Amanda leaned over the young man and pinched the boy’s cheek, “Adam, he was the cutest boy, running around naked as the day he was born.”

Isaiah knew he should feel more shame at his mom trying to embarrass him. But the fact was, the idea of Adam seeing him naked excited the boy. The young man was probably right. They should just be best friends and not boyfriends. But that didn’t change how Isaiah felt about Adam, not one bit.

Adam’s voice sounded dry, “Um, I guess it’s a good thing Isaiah’s learned what underwear is for.”

The boy caught the quick wink Amanda gave Adam as she stood up, “I know. I’d hate for him to set a bad example for you, Adam.”

The young man’s eyes grew round as Isaiah realized the implication. A glance up at his mom was enough for him to know she was pulling Adam’s leg. Smiling impishly, Isaiah said, “It’s okay, Adam. I know where the Santa hat is. It’ll be ready for you after your shower.”

Laughing, Adam said, “I’ll keep that in mind. Amanda, you’ve got to be tired. Let me call in an order for Chinese tonight. And tomorrow, if you’ll let me and Isaiah know the plan, we can start work on dinner before you get home.”

Amanda had tried to get Isaiah to help in the kitchen in the past, but he had burned a couple of casseroles before she stopped asking. Maybe Adam could show him what he had done wrong. “Yeah, Mom. I can help Adam.”

Amanda raised her hands, “It’s alright. It won’t take me too long to cook something for dinner. And Adam, you don’t know what you’re asking. Isaiah could burn water. I’ve seen it happen.”

Adam shook his head as he pulled his wallet from his bag near the end of the sofa. “I want to help out, Amanda. You guys didn’t have to help me out of a tight spot. This way, I feel like I’m contributing something.”

When Amanda relented, Isaiah felt his heart soar. He knew Adam was actively trying to find another place closer to campus. But if his mom saw how helpful Adam was, the boy hoped she would let him stay for longer than a week or two.

By the time dinner had come and gone, Isaiah had helped clean up the Styrofoam boxes and voted on the movie. He’d lost – two to one. They were watching Two Weeks Notice. It wasn’t very good, he decided, but it was hard to complain as the boy stretched out, resting his head in Adam’s lap and his feet across his mom’s lap.

He awoke to the tickling sensation on his feet. “Hey, Sweetie. You missed the movie. It was so romantic. Hugh Grant was such a stud muffin.”

Isaiah yawned and stretched his arms, one of which brushed against Adam’s bare stomach. The boy grinned, thinking about how much fun it had been to spend the day in his underwear doing nothing but watching movies. Even if the last one sucked.

“Why don’t you go on and get a shower before bed, alright?” Amanda said as she pushed his feet off her legs.

It had been a couple of days since he’d showered, so there wasn’t much point in arguing with her. Mom seldom let him win those arguments. As he climbed to his feet, his mom took him by the hand and said, “How about that goodnight kiss?”

Isaiah’s eyes cut over to Adam. It wasn’t the movies that had made the day special, he realized. It was the kisses he had shared with the young man. It wasn’t fair of his mom to make his best friend, who he secretly wanted as his boyfriend, sleep on the couch. Not when his bottom bunk was perfect for Adam.

The boy sat on Amanda’s knees, “Sure, Mom. But don’t make Adam sleep on this old, uncomfortable couch. Not when there’s an open bed in my room. Please!”

His mom leaned forward and gave him a kiss, “We’ll see.”

That was a lot better than the no from the day before, Isaiah thought as he stood. Before he went to the shower, there was one other thing he needed. He stepped over to Adam and sat on his lap. Without asking permission, he wrapped his arms around the young man’s neck and leaned forward until his lips touched Adam’s. The young man’s lips pressed against his, welcoming the kiss. Before the boy could slip his tongue into Adam’s mouth, the young man broke the kiss and smiled at him.

“That’s what I meant by thanks, Isaiah.”

Flushing beet red, aware his mom’s eyes were on him, Isaiah hurried to his feet and ran toward the bathroom.

***

“I guess you took my advice and made that next kiss something he’d remember,” Amanda said as Adam heard the bathroom door close.

With heat burning his cheeks, Adam said, “I messed up last night. He deserved to know what a real kiss feels like.”

Amanda propped her feet up under her and leaned against the armrest on her end of the couch. With a half-smile, she said, “It looks like y’all have that down pat. I’m at a loss, Adam.”

Despite the half-smile on Amanda’s lips, he could sense a disquiet. “About what?”

“Part of me is worried about Isaiah. He returned that kiss like a lover. That part of me worries about what Isaiah is getting exposed to. I’m still wrapping my mind around the two of you spending all day lounging around in your underwear.”

Shaking her head, she finished softly, “If it had been any other man, I’d be angry as hell. But you…you’re different.”

Adam felt naked under Amanda’s gaze, and it had nothing to do with wearing just his underwear. It was as though she were reading his heart, mind, and soul. With no clue how to defuse a coming objection, he stammered, “I – I should have put some shorts on, Amanda. It’s just…”

She shook her head, “No, sweetie. I’m not upset about that. If you boys want to goof off and watch movies in your underwear, that’s fine by me. The look on Isaiah’s face is all I need to see to know you’re good for each other.”

Surprised by Amanda’s words, Adam said, “I want to be whatever Isaiah needs from me, Amanda. But when he asked me to be his boyfriend, I told him it would be best for us to be best friends.”

Amanda reached over and put her hand on his knee, “Adam, in this house, you don’t have to pretend to be straight.”

The young man flinched, “What?” Then he realized his feelings for the boy were probably too easy for Amanda to see. “I’m still working through that, Amanda. But that’s not why I told him we shouldn’t be boyfriends.”

Amanda, hand still resting on his knee, said, “Why’s that?”

Adam hadn’t meant to bear his soul to Amanda. He’d never acknowledged his feelings of homosexuality to anyone directly before. “I want to keep things between Isaiah and me where you’re comfortable. You don’t seem to mind him kissing me or us cuddling.”

Even though Amanda nodded, there was a hooded expression in her eyes, “That’s thoughtful of you. How would that change if you were Isaiah’s boyfriend?”

Adam didn’t want to go into the details of what he thought gay boyfriends did with one another. Although he certainly recalled Clint and Jacob and what he did with them. He said, “I don’t know. I know what some of the gays at college do. And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want that for Isaiah.”

Amanda’s eyes flitted around the room, her brows knit in thought. With a loud sigh, she said, “I can’t fucking believe I’m thinking like this. But here’s the thing. I know my son is gay. I’ve lost too much sleep over the past year that I can’t fight that anymore. As long as Isaiah’s happy, that’s enough for me. I’ve got calluses on my knees, praying God would send someone who would protect my boy from the worst of that shit. I can’t stand the thought of him growing up, bouncing from one relationship to another, or worse, having no stable relationships at all. I’m not blind to the gay lifestyle any more than you are. And you know what, Adam. I think I just realized that God sent you into our lives.”

Adam was confused, “What are you saying?”

Shaking her head, Amanda’s voice was subdued, “I think God made this happen. Isaiah needs you, and it’s becoming evident to me that you need him. Also, you need a place to stay. I’ve got a place for you to stay. And God knows, I could use a little help right now, if you’re able.

Adam trembled at Amanda’s offer. While it seemed too good to be true, the earnestness in her face was unmistakable. He found himself nodding, “When you say he and I would be good for each other, how do you mean? As boyfriends?”

When Amanda nodded, Adam leaned back, stunned by her admission. When he finally found his voice, it shook, “Okay, Amanda. Please understand, in as much as you’d trust Isaiah with me, I’d be trusting you with my life. I don’t want to do anything with him that would anger you or cause you to lose faith in me. But if you let Isaiah and me date, I can’t promise it would only be kissing and holding hands. You know that’s not how dating works, gay or straight. Would you really be okay with that?”

Amanda bit at her lower lip, “What happens to him if he found some strange boy to date in school? Or worse, what if Isaiah gets drawn to some older teenager or man? What kind of stuff would they do with my son? Would they only hold hands and steal kisses?”

Adam winced at the mental images Amanda’s words created. “Probably not. What were you like when you were a teenager?”

The young woman chuckled, “I lost my virginity when I was thirteen. And you’ve made your point.”

She stood and paced around the couch, “What kind of fucked up world do we live in where the very best option for my gay twelve-year-old is his ‘I’m working through my gay-ness’ twenty-year-old former youth leader? Just thinking about it is enough to make my head spin.”

After another disbelieving shake of her head, Amanda came over and knelt and hugged him. She whispered, “Please, Adam, I’m trusting my baby to you.”

Adam found his arms around her back, “I promise I’ll keep him safe.”

Still wearing a befuddled expression, Amanda said, “I know you will. I’m heading to bed. When he’s done in the shower, have Isaiah show you your bed. I’ll see you in the morning.

Chapter 8

Tossing the towel over the rack, Isaiah looked at himself in the mirror. Or at least the part of himself he could see through the condensation he’d wiped away. His brown hair was damp and messy. A little work with a comb gave it a semblance of order, if just a little.

Although he couldn’t see the rest of his body reflected through the mist covering the mirror, he could just look down and see. The worse of the sixth grade had been Josh’s rejection. That’s had nearly crushed Isaiah’s spirit. But that hadn’t been the only problem. He was short. He’d finished the sixth grade at four feet, five inches tall. And perhaps had gained one whole other inch over the summer. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind, in a couple of weeks, with school in session again, the other newly minted seventh graders would tower over him by a good six to eight inches.

He glanced down between his legs. Even the last couple of months in the sixth grade, he’d realized most of the other boys in gym class were leaving him behind. Several of the kids, Josh included, had hair down there. Some just a few stray hairs and others a lot. He ran his fingers over the area, so smooth.

He shook his head. Did any of that really matter? Adam had seen him naked. And he hadn’t pointed and laughed. Just the opposite. He had tried to make Isaiah feel good about himself. A twinge between his legs was enough for Isaiah to realize he needed to get moving. He pulled on a pair of white briefs. When the elastic waistband snapped into place, he thought about how nice the colored briefs looked on Adam and thought he might ask Mom to buy some him some.

When he stepped into his bedroom, Adam was lying on the bottom bunk, over the covers but still dressed in just his blue briefs. “How’s it going, roomy?”

Surprised, Isaiah ran over and hugged him, “You’re staying with me tonight?”

Adam wore a nearly dazed expression as he added, “Your mom said it’s cool. I think she’s going to let me help with the rent, so I might be staying for a while. Is that okay with you?”

Isaiah’s belly was doing summersaults at the news, “Okay? Like times a million. That’s awesome.”

Then, to show it, he pulled back from the hug long enough for his lips to find Adam’s. With the door closed, he savored the sweet taste of Adam’s lips, a hint of the sweet and sour chicken from dinner awoke his own tastebuds as his tongue slipped into the young man’s mouth.

Breathless, when the kiss ended, the boy smiled, “Wow. If you’re going to stay with us, that means we can kiss like that a lot. Right?”

Even sitting on the bed, Adam was able to wrap his arms around his back and pull him close. Standing against the side of the bed, for once, Isaiah could look down on the young man’s face. “Yeah. We talked, and your mom’s cool us being friends.”

Isaiah would have loved to have listened in on that conversation. He was almost twelve and no longer a little kid. He’d overheard adult conversations plenty of times and suspected Adam and his mom must have had an interesting discussion. “You told her you’re gay? How’d she respond?”

Adam’s eyes lit up, “Better than I thought it would. I think she’s suspected for a bit now.”

Isaiah straddled Adam’s knees and sat, his eyes nearly even with the young man’s. He’d always loved his mom, but he felt something even deeper. “Gosh. It’s really cool, she knows. Now there’s nothing to hide.”

Adam cocked his head, “What?”

Isaiah slid forward a bit until his lips were just an inch or two away from Adam’s. He whispered, “I love you, Adam. Will you please be my boyfriend?”

Despite the connection he felt with Adam, the boy felt trepidation when he asked. After all, Adam had already told him once just a few hours before they couldn’t be boyfriends. Now, though, Isaiah felt a spark of hope that with his mom on board with Adam staying with them, things would be different.

Then, when Adam leaned forward and kissed him in response, the doubt evaporated, and Isaiah threw his arms around his boyfriend’s neck and melted into the kiss.

Later, lying on the top bunk, Isaiah rolled onto his side, sleep eluding him. The evening had been the happiest one he could remember, so falling asleep should have been easy. But it wasn’t. His boyfriend was sleeping just a few feet below him, and all the boy could think about was being held by Adam.

Finally, after tossing and turning a few more times, Isaiah climbed down and pulled back Adam’s covers and slid in next to him. Adam murmured, “Couldn’t sleep?”

As the young man draped an arm over his chest, Isaiah snuggled against him, “No. Can you hold me?”

Adam rolled onto his side. The hand draped over Isaiah’s chest pulled the boy against the young man’s chest, turning Isaiah into the small spoon against Adam’s large. The warmth of Adam’s body cloaked the boy in a cocoon. Isaiah had never felt safer nor more loved than as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Just before he slept, he was vaguely aware of something hard poking against his backside. And then he slept.

***

Adam felt a strain in his briefs as he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Isaiah cuddled against his side. Blinking against the twilight darkness of the boy’s bedroom, he vaguely recalled Isaiah cuddling with him at some point during the night. The boy’s warmth was probably why the covers were pushed down to the foot of the bed. Even now, Adam felt comfortable, warmed only by Isaiah’s body.

A glance toward his crotch showed his erection tenting his briefs, making them tighter than normal, despite his modest size. Morning woods he was used to, but his erection was as hard as it had ever been. That’s when he felt something pressing against his hip. Looking at Isaiah, one leg draped over one of Adam’s, and his crotch was nestled tight against Adam’s hip.

Adam swallowed as he felt a sense of desire wash over him. He tried to ignore the twitch down below. It was too early to get moving, and he wasn’t about to do anything about his erection. Not with Isaiah soundly asleep beside him.

His eyes had just closed when he heard a soft knock at the bedroom door. Then the door swung open, and Amanda stuck her head inside. After a long moment, probably to let her eyes adjust, she whispered, “Isaiah? Adam? I’m heading into the office. You boys awake?”

That feeling of vulnerability he felt around Amanda hit Adam as he whispered, “Just me. Isaiah’s asleep.”

Amanda came in and stood next to the door. “Can I come in?”

Adam wished nothing more than for his painful erection to go away, “This is your place.”

Amanda came over to the bed. She rested a hand on Isaiah’s bare shoulder. After a long minute, she murmured, “You boys look lovely together, Adam. I really should have knocked. Isaiah would freak out if I walked on the two of you naked or something.”

Feeling his penis push against his underwear, Adam hoped she couldn’t see how crimson he was in the face. “Yeah. We’ll try to keep things PG, Amanda.”

The young woman leaned down and kissed her son on the forehead and then leaned over and rested her hand on Adam’s chest as she gave him a peck on the lips, almost identical to how she’d kissed Isaiah before bed. “You’re sweet, Adam. You’re boys, not monks. For now, I’m going to try to pretend Isaiah isn’t growing up. The instructions for dinner are on the fridge. If I’m lucky, I’ll be home by five-thirty.

A moment later, Amanda was gone. And now, not only was Adam still horny, he was as perplexed as ever. Isaiah’s mom had warmed remarkably to the notion of Adam dating her son.

Adam tried falling back asleep but to no avail. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he heard Amanda’s car pull out of the driveway, but he couldn’t help it. The hand that wasn’t wrapped around Isaiah, slid down his taut belly until it threaded through his coarse pubic hair, and encircled his erection. As quietly as possible, he pulled on himself, letting the tingling sensation gradually build within him.

“Whatcha doing?” A voice startled Adam out of his rhythmic reverie.

Started, Adam jerked his hand out from his underwear, “Shit, you startled me.”

Isaiah giggled, “You cussed,” as he rested a hand on the young man’s chest.”

“You startled me.”

Isaiah stretched and yawned, “Well, good morning to you, too.”

He reached across and gave Adam the best one-armed hug he could manage, then he said, “Were you, um, playing with yourself?”

The tent in his underwear hadn’t gone away, not one bit. Adam was tempted to tell Isaiah it was nothing, but lying in bed cuddling with Isaiah, that seemed silly. Instead, he said, “Uh, yeah. Don’t you?”

Despite the darkness of the room, Isaiah’s flush was visible. He whispered, “Yeah.”

He rubbed a hand in a circular motion on Adam’s chest, “You’re poking up a lot. Can I see it again?”

Even though Adam sort of felt as if he had Amanda’s permission to go a bit further than just kissing with Isaiah, he wasn’t sure where that line was. After all, there wasn’t any rush. He and Isaiah could take all the time in the world, discovering their love for one another.

He said, “Maybe later. Okay?”

Isaiah’s hand moved from Adam’s chest down below his belly button, “Why? We’re boyfriends, Adam. Don’t you want to do stuff with me?”

Of course, he did, A lot. But images of Amanda standing over his shoulder made him say, “I do, a lot. But what’s the hurry?”

The boy’s fingers had found his waistband, “Do you know when I realized I was gay?”

“No. When?”

Isaiah let a sad sigh escape his lips, “I guess it was just before Spring Break, and me and Josh were in the shower after PE. When I realized I wanted to touch his junk, I thought something was weird. But it never stopped. I barely managed to stop myself a couple of times. Well, until I tried to kiss him and made him hate me.”

Adam empathized with him. He’d had similar moments with both Clint and Jacob.

Isaiah wasn’t finished, “And after the shower at the waterpark, I wanted to see your stuff again. I still do. So, can I?”

Adam repressed a chuckle. If this was Isaiah’s idea of going slow, there was a real possibility the next time Amanda opened the bedroom door, she might be staring at a couple of naked gay boys. As he gripped his underwear, he was thankful Isaiah thought he was big. But he was at best average—a bit more than five and a half inches.

His erection slapped against his belly once his underwear was down below his thighs. Isaiah gasped, “Cool!”

Smiling at the pleased expression on the boy’s face, Adam realized just how different things with Isaiah would be compared to the lusty experience he’d had with Jacob. He loved Isaiah, wanted to let things progress normally at Isaiah’s pace.

He gripped his erection and slowly jerked off, even as Isaiah’s fingers threaded their way through his pubes. When the boy’s finger sent a jolt through him as it touched the base of his penis, Adam pulled his hand back. A glance at Isaiah’s face revealed the boy’s open curiosity and an unasked question.

Adam said, “You can, if you want.”

Slowly, almost reverently, Isaiah’s fingers gently wrapped around his penis and copied his up and down motion. The tingling he’d been building ratcheted up by a factor of a thousand at the boy’s near-caressing touch.

The boy’s smaller hand moved up, then down in an unfamiliar cadence, but it didn’t matter to Adam. The boy’s fingers simply reflected the connection between them. When the tingling reached into the young man’s balls, he knew he wouldn’t last long, “Ahhh, Isaiah, I’m about to cum.”

The boy turned his confused face to him, “Come? What?”

But he didn’t stop jacking and then it happened. Adam let loose a wordless moan. His dick spasmed as a thick rope of semen splattered his torso, running from above his navel to the middle of his chest. Another spurt landed below his belly button, and a third coated Isaiah’s fingers.

The boy, still gripping Adam’s rod, softly spoke, “Oh, shit! That’s what they were talking about!”

Still catching his breath, the young man said, “Wow. That felt incredible, Isaiah. You did it like a pro.”

Still, with that look of wonder in his eyes, the boy pulled his hand away, lifting it to his nose. “A couple of guys in gym talked about white stuff shooting out. I saw a video online once. But…”

Isaiah’s words failed him even as he tentatively stuck his tongue out to taste that part of Adam on his fingers. After a moment, his face contorted, like biting into a lemon, “It’s really salty, Adam.”

Coming down from the high of his orgasm, Adam reached over Isaiah and fished up a T-shirt, which he used to wipe himself clean. When he was done, he gave it to the boy, “Use this to clean your hand.”

Now, with his penis satiated, Adam’s gaze fell on the boy nestled in the crook of his arm. Hand clean, Isaiah dropped the T-shirt on the floor, “That was cool.”

Hugging his young boyfriend, Adam said, “Have you had that happen before?”

Isaiah blushed at the question as he shook his head. “The coach talked about it in Health class last year. That’s your, um, semen?

“Yeah.”

Isaiah looked up at him. In a pensive voice, he said, “When do you think I’ll get, uh, semen?”

The question took Adam back to his own first time with Clint. He’d been a few months older than Isaiah when the older teen first masturbated him. He still remembered the shocking pleasure at the clear goo splattered on his torso.

His eyes drifted down to Isaiah’s underwear. He’d been so focused on his own needs, he’s grown used to the boy’s erection pressed against his hip. What he wanted was to examine that beautiful tube of flesh, find out what it was capable of. The image of Amanda came to mind. The problem was making sense of her mixed signals. To Adam’s way of thinking, the boy’s mom was terribly conflicted. She wanted him happy but safe. Adam could hardly imagine her internal conflict.

Amanda had sought him out, hopeful he could be a role model for her son. No doubt to steer him away from his attraction. When had she realized the bond Isaiah shared with him wasn’t going to steer him away from his attraction but directly to it? Indeed it was before she’d invited Adam to stay with them. Now, to Amanda, Adam was still the boy’s salvation. But now, instead of trying to pull the boy back from his attraction, she wanted him to guide Isaiah through it.

Still, as his hand slid down the boy’s torso, he wasn’t sure this was what she meant. But Adam couldn’t pull back even if he wanted.

“Whatcha thinking?”

Adam flashed a grin at Isaiah as his fingers brushed against the white waistline of the boy’s underwear, “About you. About how I want to make you feel just as good.”

With that, Adam took the expectant look on Isaiah’s face as permission and slid his fingers under the waistband. The silky-smooth skin felt delightful under his touch felt like nothing else. When his fingers grazed the base of Isaiah’s penis, the boy gasped, his mouth forming a wordless O. Then, with as much care as he could muster, Adam wrapped his thumb and forefinger around Isaiah’s boyhood.

“When you played with it, is this how you did it?” he asked in a reverential voice. At that moment, he imaged he understood how an Israelite high priest must have felt when he entered the Holy of Holies.

The boy shook his head slightly, “N-no.”

“Do you want to show me how you did it?”

Another shake of the head, “No. You feel really good,” Isaiah’s voice was breathy.

Adam moved his fingers up and down a couple of times before he stopped and pulled the boy’s underwear down to his knees, allowing his eyes to feast on the three inches on display. Isaiah’s little head flared wider than his shaft, separated by a slightly darker circumcision scar that made up about a third of the fleshy tube. A bluish vein ran up one side of the penis, but otherwise, the erect appendage was smooth.

Feeling the blood flowing into his own appendage between his legs, Adam took Isaiah’s penis in his hand and slowly jacked him up and down. From time to time, he’d look at the boy’s face, enjoying the lopsided grin Isaiah wore as his eyes grew glassy, his world shrinking to the space between his legs.

A couple of minutes into the gentle stroking and the boy’s legs contracted as an intense look plastered his face. “Nngg,” he moaned, “F-feels really different. Like I’m gonna pee!”

Adam picked up the tempo as he watched Isaiah’s eyes roll back. A few seconds later, the fleshy tube in his hand spasmed. The boy arched his back as he loudly moaned. His penis kicked a few more times as Adam kept stroking. When he stopped, he spied a tiny bead of clear fluid on the tip of Isaiah’s penis. It was almost invisible, barely there.

When Adam pulled his hand away, the boy’s eyes fluttered open, “F-fuck, that was awesome.”

That was the first time the boy had ever cussed, at least in front of Adam. But he could understand it, especially if this was Isaiah’s first orgasm.

Grabbing the boy, Adam hugged him tightly, “Yeah, you seemed to have enjoyed yourself.”

Isaiah squirmed around until he lay on top of Adam, where he kissed the young man. Despite having just woken up, the boy’s lips felt soft and magical against his, and when it ended, he let the boy’s head rest against his neck.

***

So, this is what it feels like to have a boyfriend, Isaiah thought as he lay on Adam’s chest. The intense feelings he’d gotten from the young man playing with his penis still lingered a bit. Nothing had ever felt more right than being with Adam. The part of his mind, the part he usually used when he had to listen to his mom, said what he found in the young man’s arms was wrong. But he didn’t care. At first, he had prayed so hard for the feelings he had once felt for Josh to go away. The problem was, they didn’t really go away until he fell in love with Adam. It was, he realized, an answer to his prayer. Adam made him happy, and with the young man as his boyfriend, he actually wasn’t scared of going into the seventh grade, even if he would be the shortest kid on campus.

After another long, sensuous kiss, the boy realized Adam’s penis was between his legs. And it was hard again. For a moment, he thought about teasing Adam about how hard he was but realized as his own pole was hard, laying flat between their bellies. The feeling of Adam’s erection when it erupted had been incredible. Isaiah had been surprised when the pole grew even harder in his hands before spitting out gobs of semen. Now that he knew how to jack Adam off, he felt silly about how he’d been trying to play with himself before. Rubbing his penis with a pillow had been fun, to a point, but now that he knew how to do it, he really wanted to see it again.

“Um, Adam, can I play with your junk again?”

The young man took in a deep breath, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

That was something else he loved about his boyfriend. While the differences in their age and development didn’t mean that much to Isaiah, they evidently did to Adam. Isaiah could see the point. After all, between the stuff they taught at school and his mom, the idea of good and bad touches had been drilled into him. Instinctively, he knew the teachers at school would consider Adam’s touching the bad kind. But they didn’t understand. At least his mom did. So did Adam, thank God.

Isaiah shifted, moving down until he was straddling Adam’s legs, “I wanna.”

As he wrapped his entire hand around the enormous penis, at least to his not-quite-twelve-year-old eyes, Isaiah liked this vantage point. He alternated his view between the nearly six-inch object of his desire and Adam’s open face.

As the boy stroked up and down on Adam’s erection, he found a rhythm and fell into a pattern, jacking gently up and down, listening to his boyfriend moan in pleasure. He’d lost track of how long he’d stroked Adam, but at one point, the young man’s eyes slammed shut as he groaned, “Here we go again!”

A moment later, his white goo splattered against Isaiah’s chest, followed by a few more dollops of Adam’s semen, which got on the boy’s belly and hand. He didn’t want to let go. He found a closeness to Adam impossible to explain as he held his boyfriend’s penis, slowly milking the last little glob from Adam’s glans.

When the young man opened his eyes, he chuckled, “Real nice, Isaiah, that felt even better the second time around. But damn, you’re a mess. You should get a shower.”

Looking down at the sticky, white semen, Isaiah couldn’t help but agree. When he slid off the bed, he grabbed a pair of underwear from a chest of drawers. Everything since last night had been magical. He didn’t want it to end. “Can you join me?”

Adam’s eyes twinkled, “You know how to get a shower, man.”

Isaiah rolled his eyes, “Yeah, so? Can’t I take a shower with you? After all, isn’t that what boyfriends do?”

The twinkle in Adam’s eyes turned into a wide grin, “Sometimes. Okay. But my dick needs a rest. You’ve been very generous in your attention.”

A few minutes later, Isaiah pulled the shower curtain closed as water shot out from the showerhead, drenching them. Adam grabbed a bottle of bodywash, “Here, let me see your back.”

The soft touch of Adam’s soapy hands on his back made Isaiah’s body tingle all over. If he hadn’t already been erect, he’d have popped a boner for sure. His boyfriend didn’t stop at his lower back. Soon, Adam’s soapy hands were massaging the boy’s pearly white globes as Isaiah giggled. The boy didn’t mind at all at the extra attention paid to his ass-cheeks before Adam knelt and washed his legs, going from back to front.

Then, once his legs were lathered up, Isaiah’s breath was caught in his throat as Adam’s face was just inches away from his three-inch erection. Slowly, Adam’s hands worked up from his legs and massaged at his nail-like tube. Overcome by the intense feeling building from within, Isaiah leaned against the wall-tile. “Ahh, that feels really good.”

Adam looked up and smiled, “You want me to make you cum again?”

“Oh, fuck, yes!” Isaiah squealed.

He closed his eyes, letting the tingling sensation build. Adam’s hand stopped stimulating him for a moment, and then he felt something wet encircle his glans. The unfamiliar touch caused him to open his eyes, and he nearly squealed again as he saw Adam’s mouth engulf his glans. Already sensitive from the steady buildup, the touch of Adam’s tongue on his shaft was too much. He felt that explosion in his penis as it kicked in the young man’s mouth. A couple of more spasms radiated from his erection as he felt himself sliding down the wall-tiles as his grip on reality slipped away.

“Hey, buddy, you okay?”

Water splashed in Isaiah’s face as his eyes fluttered open. He was lying in the bottom of the bathtub, the showerhead overhead raining down on him. “W-what happened?”

Adam, straddling his legs, said, “You damn near scared the hell out of me, Isaiah. You passed out when you, um, came.”

Everything came back into focus, and he felt himself twitch at the memory, “When you put my junk in your mouth. Man, that was intense.”

Blushing, Adam said, “I was going to ask what you thought of your first blowjob, but your body kind of gave that away.”

So that’s what a blow-job was. Isaiah had heard other boys in PE talk about it, and he sort of understood what they were talking about. But now he knew, and he liked it. Even if he had passed out from the intensity.

“Can we try that again?” Isaiah said as he sat up.

Adam cringed, “Eventually. But maybe we should slow things down a bit. We’ve been boyfriends for less than a day. There’s plenty of time to do this stuff. Plus, I don’t want to piss your mom off.”

Confused, Isaiah said, “But you said she was okay with us being boyfriends and that boyfriends do things like this. Right?”

Adam turned the water off, “And that’s true. But I don’t want her regretting letting us be together either.”

As Isaiah let the young man dry him off, he wondered how his mom felt about things. There was so much he wanted her to understand. Maybe Adam was right. Taking things slow might be best. But he doubted it.

***

Chapter 9

Adam glanced at the time in the laptop’s taskbar and sighed. He’d spent the last three hours explaining in an essay how the Reformation impacted the Age of Reason, and he was ready to be done. He had a bit of time before he needed to pick Isaiah up from school. The boy was ecstatic not needing to take the bus home most days, although with the school year barely a week underway, Adam was new to the routine.

He saved the Word document and closed the laptop. The paper wasn’t due until Monday, and he was nearly finished. At least with the first draft. As he climbed off the lower bunk, he felt a familiar pressure on his bladder and headed across the hall to the bathroom. When he unfastened his jeans and pulled down the front of his blue briefs, a bit of talcum powder escaped, forming a faint cloud over the toilet. He’d done his best to ignore the occasional itching, but he took a moment to pull his pants down to inspect the damage.

It had started a couple of days before, between the time Isaiah got home from school, and Amanda returned from work. He’d been cuddling with the boy on his bunk in just their underwear when Isaiah shoved his hand down the front of Adam’s underwear.

“When’d you get hair down here?” he had asked as his fingers ran through the curly mass.

With Isaiah’s hand so close, it was impossible not to bone up, “I was probably thirteen. Why?”

The boy’s fingers wrapped around his shaft, “I like how smooth your dick is compared to the rest of you. It feels nice when I touch it.”

Adam wasn’t about to let Isaiah have all the fun. He snaked his fingers down the front of the boy’s underwear. As he ran his fingers across the boy’s smooth pubic area, he said, “How’s this feel?”

Giggling, the boy said, “Better when you do it. I like it when you touch me.”

Adam wrapped his fingers around the boy’s growing protrusion, “Me too. Do you like it better when you touch my body or when I touch yours?”

The young man was genuinely curious. If someone had told him at the start of the summer that he was going to be passionately in love by the time school started back up, he’d have laughed in their face. If they’d told him it would be with a pre-teen, he’d have denied it to heaven. But now he was head-over-heels in love with Isaiah, and he wanted to know what about their intimacy the boy enjoyed the most.

Isaiah was thoughtfully silent for a bit as he pulled on Adam’s underwear, freeing his erection from the brief’s constraints. “I like them both. But I like how your skin feels on me when you touch me. I wonder if it’ll feel as good once I get hair down there.”

Adam had let his fingers glide over the boy’s pubic area before returning to stroking his boner, “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep the hair. Some guys shave their body hair.”

As the boy’s hand sped up on Adam’s penis, he said, “Have you ever done that?”

“Yeah. I had a friend back when I was your age. His name was Clint, and we fooled around some. Anyway, when I started getting hair down there, he talked me into shaving it.”

The boy’s rhythm didn’t stop, as Adam felt the first tingling tremor in his penis. “Why’d you start shaving it?”

Clint’s moving away for college had given Adam time to try to leave the gay sex behind. Given how the young man now realized how fruitless his earlier denial had been, he didn’t want to burden the boy with all the details. He said, “After Clint left, I didn’t see any point in shaving it. Looks kind of weird when you’re fourteen and showering in PE, and all your pubes are gone.”

Considering the boy’s questions, Adam asked, “Why? Do you not like my pubic hair?”

Isaiah was silent; his hand barely jacking up and down on Adam’s erection. “It’s cool. I like it just fine. After all, it’s on you, and I love everything about you, boyfriend.”

A few seconds later, Adam pulled Isaiah’s underwear down and began stroking his penis with his thumb and forefinger. Before long, the boy’s hand stopped going up and down on him as Adam stroked the boy to orgasm. Just like the first time, Isaiah had a clear, shiny pearl beading on his pee slit. Unlike before, he swiped his finger across the boy’s glans and deposited the tiny amount on his finger before putting his finger in his mouth. The small amount barely had any taste, perhaps slightly sweet.

After getting off, the boy resumed his assault of the young man’s erection until a few minutes later, the boy splattered Adam’s seed across both of them.

That had a few days before. And now, as Adam ran his fingers across his smooth pubic area, he tried to find any imperfections in his effort to shave himself, but he was smooth. In fact, he lifted his shirt, all the way up, and felt the artificial smoothness of the area under his belly and across his chest. It had taken a while, but two razorblades later, he had shaved every bit of hair he could reach below his neck.

As he emptied his bladder, Adam muttered, “The things I do for that boy. He’s got no idea how difficult it was to get to some parts.”

Adam had pulled away from the curb after letting Isaiah buckle up. “T.G.I.F,” the boy said once they were underway.

“How was the first week back?” Adam asked.

Isaiah shrugged, “Not bad. Did you finish the paper you said you had?”

“Almost. But I’m not going to let it get in the way of a certain twelve-year-old’s birthday bash.”

The boy grinned. “Last year, Mom wanted to take me out to a Pizza buffet, but they were still closed because of the virus. She tell you what she’s planning?”

Amanda had told Adam. It didn’t seem like much, but she swore the boy would be happy with pizza, gifts, and movies. When he’d asked her how she knew that would be enough, she told him that all Isaiah wanted was to spend time with Adam. Pizza and movies were just icing on the cake. Of course, she’d also have a cake with chocolate icing.

“You’ll just have to wait until she gets home,” Adam said cryptically. Although he had bought the boy a gift card for his console, the real gift was later, after they’d retired to their room. He was nervous about what Isaiah would think of his smooth body. Given how bits and parts itched a bit, he hoped the boy would like it.

By the time they got home, it was pushing four in the afternoon. As Adam parked in the second spot under the carport, he said, “Why don’t you get your homework done first? That way, you’ve got the whole weekend to celebrate turning twelve.”

Isaiah stuck his tongue out, “There you go, already trying to suck the fun out of a perfectly good Friday.”

“Well, do you have any?”

The boy huffed, “Yeah. Stupid Mrs. Jacovich gave us a worksheet for Texas history.”

Walking up to the front door, Adam called over his shoulder, “Come on, don’t be like me, procrastinating until Sunday night.”

Isaiah was putting his textbook and assignment in his bookbag when there was a rattling at the front door. Adam jumped up and opened the door. Amanda came through the door laden with a couple of pizza boxes and a cake box on top of that. Once she set them down on the kitchen table, she nearly shouted, “Happy birthday, Isaiah!”

Isaiah’s high-pitched pre-adolescent laughter thrilled Adam. He loved seeing his young boyfriend happy. And Amanda was right. The boy seemed perfectly happy.

By the time they had demolished both boxes of pizza and half the chocolate cake, Adam sat on the floor, leaning against the couch while Isaiah sat next to him, playing the newest game his mom had bought. After a bit, Amanda came back in from throwing the pizza boxes away, “You boys want to watch a movie? I rented the new Top Gun movie.”

Isaiah saved where he was at in the game, “Yeah. This game is single player. I’ll play it some more when you old fuddy-duddies are too tired to keep up with all this awesomeness.”

Adam dug an elbow into the boy’s rib, “Who you calling old? Pipsqueak.”

Isaiah gave a war cry and jumped on Adam, straddling his waist, “Who you calling pipsqueak? Look whose on top of who.”

Adam stuck out his tongue, “That’s look who’s on top of whom.”

Isaiah leaned forward until his face was a few inches over Adam’s. “Nope. No grammar police tonight. It’s my birthday.”

Then, he leaned forward and kissed Adam. It felt weird to kiss in front of Amanda, who had just sat down on the couch a couple of feet away. Although it seemed like Isaiah found excuses to kiss him in the living room or the kitchen, the frequency had grown over the past week. Her wry chuckle was permission enough for him to return the kiss and wrap his arms around the boy, letting their kiss linger. This evening, Isaiah was the first to part his lips and slip his tongue into Adam’s mouth, but it wasn’t long before he invaded the boy’s mouth.

Adam only broke the kiss when he felt himself bulging in his pants. “Alright, stud-muffin, you want to watch the movie or not?”

The boy climbed off his lap. Once Adam had reclaimed his seat on the couch, he patted the space between him and Amanda, “Come on.”

Isaiah gave him a wink before turning to Amanda, “Is it okay if I get ready for bed before we watch the movie?”

It wasn’t even eight o’clock. Adam wasn’t sure what game Isaiah was playing at. A glance from Amanda showed she wasn’t either. Still, she nodded, “Sure, if you want.”

The boy turned to Adam. In a sensual, soft voice, Isaiah said, “Can you help me, please?”

All of the boy’s public displays of affection started to make sense. Even including the kisses over the past week, Adam had been consistent about keeping things between him and Isaiah to a PG rating when Amanda was around. And, there were a few things he and Isaiah still hadn’t done yet. He was determined to take things slow.

With eyebrows raised, Adam said, “You need my help?”

Smiling seductively, Isaiah said, “It is my birthday.”

This felt like Isaiah was pushing at those boundaries, and Adam glanced over at Amanda. She offered a bemused smile and shrugged her shoulders.

Adam reached out and pulled the boy close, “Okay, Casanova.”

He took the boy’s shirt by the hem and pulled it over his head. The boy’s tanned torso looked inviting. Of course, he was hard-pressed to keep his hands from reaching out and playing with that torso. Then, after another glance at Amanda, whose bemused smile had been replaced by a curious stare, Adam went for the boy’s shorts and unfastened them. With a gentle tug on the legs, they fell to the floor. Isaiah grinned proudly in his new blue briefs. They were the same brand Adam wore, albeit several sizes smaller.

“There, lover-boy,” Adam smirked, “All dressed for bed. Ready to watch the movie?”

Isaiah smiled broadly, “It hardly seems fair that I’m the only one ready for bed. As my boyfriend, I thought you’d want to get ready, too.”

Seeing the trap Isaiah had set, Adam cast a glance over at Amanda, who was hiding her mouth behind a balled-up fist, although Adam could practically hear her silent laughter at her son’s machinations.

Any other time, Amanda’s tacit acknowledgment would have been enough for him to agree to Isaiah’s playful suggestion. But, dammit, he’d just shaved everything from the neck down. If he got down to his underwear, setting aside how could he possibly hide the erection growing in his pants, how could Amanda fail to see what he’d done? Between one or the other, either could lead to questions he didn’t want to answer about how fast things were progressing between him and Isaiah.

Adam stammered, “Um, you sure? I mean, we don’t wanna gross your mom out, a couple of boys in our underwear, you know.”

Amanda’s silent laughter turned loud, “Sweety, I’ve seen both of you in your underwear several times. Neither of you have anything I haven’t seen.” She chuckled some more before she added, “Go on, I don’t mind.”

Isaiah moved first. His hands were at the young man’s shirt, and without further protest, the shirt soon joined the pile of Isaiah’s clothes. In his haste, Isaiah hadn’t really seen the subtle changes wrought by Adam’s razor blades. Then, the boy attached the button and zipper on Adam’s jeans before tugging at them. Before Adam knew it, in the boy’s haste to pull his pants off, the young man’s underwear was almost to his knees before he knew it.

Isaiah stopped his tugging as Adam’s erection popped into view. Almost as important, at least to Adam, much of his handiwork with the razors was on full display before his boyfriend and Amanda.

Adam snatched at his underwear and tugged at them, but they were caught in his pants. It took a moment to free them and pull them up, covering up his shame. He muttered, “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry.”

Isaiah, eyes still wide at the shocking revelation, stammered, “Uh, n-no, t-that was my fault.”

Amanda sat in silence, her cheeks a bright crimson, while Isaiah plopped down between the two adults, grabbed the remote, and started the movie. Feeling the heat flushing his face, Adam crossed one leg over the other and rested his hands in his lap, desperate to hide the erection straining against his briefs.

Top Gun 2 hadn’t played for long before Isaiah relaxed against his arm. Adam moved it and draped it across the boy’s shoulders. Having the nearly naked boy leaning against him almost made the young man forget about the earlier embarrassment. After a bit, Isaiah ran a hand over his chest, stopping to play with his nipples for a moment before letting his hand fall to below his belly button, where the thin track of hair had once trailed down to his pubic area.

In a soft voice only intended for Adam, the boy said, “Wow, it’s so smooth. Just like me.”

Adam so wanted to ask the boy if he liked it. After all, Isaiah was the entire reason he’d shaved everything off. But Amanda was only a few feet away, and even though she was ostensibly watching the movie, he could tell the boy’s mom was very much aware of what her son and his boyfriend were doing.

Adam whispered, “I hoped you’d like it.”

The leg Adam had crossed over the other was close enough for Isaiah to inspect, and he moved his hands away from the young man’s belly, running his fingers over the smooth results of a close shave. Adam wasn’t a particularly hairy twenty-year-old, but the boy had previously commented on how much hair he’d had on his legs. However, to Adam, it was the contrast between having some body hair and Isaiah’s complete lack of it.

The boy exclaimed, “Wow, this is really smooth, too. Even smoother than mine.”

Excited by the new discovery, Isaiah’s voice was no longer a whisper, and Amanda leaned forward at the boy’s comment.

Still uncomfortable with the earlier wardrobe malfunction, her voice was hesitant as she examined Adam’s leg, “Wow. You went all the way. Can I feel it?”

Adam, embarrassed at all the attention, nodded. Over the past few weeks, he’d come to like Amanda a lot. It was clear the best things he loved about Isaiah came from his mom. But his feelings for her were hardly the same as his feelings for his young boyfriend. In some ways, it reminded him of how he liked Becky, but without the need to hide his preferences. As Adam’s love for Isaiah deepened, he could see Amanda would be supportive of their love for as long as the boy wanted it.

As Amanda ran her fingers over his calf, she nodded, “Very smooth. I’ve got some moisturizer in my bathroom. I’ll let you borrow it. It’ll keep it your skin from drying out.”

Isaiah’s attention moved to Adam’s thighs. His hand moved up the inside of Adam’s leg until it grazed his underwear. The boy seemed fascinated with Adam’s body, far more than before. His fingers traced over Adam’s fingers, which were still trying to hide his erection until the boy’s hand once again rested on the young man’s smooth skin between his belly button and the waistband of his briefs.

There was a note of appreciation in the boy’s voice, “You did this for me, didn’t you?”

Adam tried to ignore Amanda’s hand, still running up and down his calf, and nodded, “Yeah. I know how you like it…”

His voice trailed off. He really wasn’t comfortable talking about what he and Isaiah shared in their bedroom, not with Amanda sitting next to him, inspecting his handiwork.

Isaiah didn’t share the same inhibition, “When you touch me. Yeah. The way your hand feels against my skin is really nice.”

Adam tried to get the boy’s attention with his face, nodding toward Amanda. If telepathy existed, he’d have screamed, Dude, your mom’s right there.

His look hadn’t been subtle. The red in Amanda’s cheeks spread down her neck as she pulled her hand away, “Isaiah, your making Adam uncomfortable. Boyfriends don’t usually talk about that around their moms.”

Isaiah flashed an apologetic grin, “I’m sorry, Adam. It’s just… I don’t know. I…”

When the boy’s words failed him, Adam reached out and tousled his hair, “It’s okay. When I think about you, sometimes I have a hard time finding the right words, too.”

Isaiah shook his head, “It’s not that. It’s just I don’t want you or Mom mad at me. But I’ve got something I want to say.”

The boy, over the past few weeks, hadn’t been particularly assertive in their relationship, content with the things Adam had shown him. In fact, aside from that first day in the shower, neither of them had sucked on the other, although Isaiah had shown an interest in trying it out again.

In unison, Adam and Amanda said, “Okay.”

With his hand still resting on Adam’s stomach, Isaiah said, “Mom knows we fool around, Adam. And she’s cool with it because we’re boyfriends. But you’re always worried she’s going to get pissed at you and kick you out or do something worse.”

Adam cringed at his young boyfriend’s accurate assessment. Even though Isaiah left unsaid the worst, it wasn’t far removed from Adam’s mind that what he was doing with his young boyfriend wasn’t strictly legal. And staying on Amanda’s good side was critical to making his relationship with Isaiah work and not ruining his own life.

Isaiah continued, “I love you, Adam. I love how you hold me and kiss me, and how we, um,” his eyes flicked to Amanda as his cheeks grew warm and red, “play with each other’s dicks.”

Amanda’s only response was the spreading of the crimson down her neck, under her shirt.

Isaiah drew in another breath, “But Mom doesn’t care about that. I know she’s okay with us doing more than just fooling around, and you need to know that, too.”

Tears of frustration pooled at the corners of his eyes, “When you’re holding me, and we’re kissing and stuff, I can feel you holding back. Stop it. I need all of your love, please!”

Adam was stunned by Isaiah’s admission. But the boy was right. His worry about Amanda not approving was the only thing keeping him from exploring their growing love.

Amanda scooted closer and rested a hand on Isaiah’s shoulder, “Oh, baby. But I do care about what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with.”

Then she put her other hand on Adam’s shoulder, “That’s why I thank God every day He sent Adam into our lives. It’s clear this wonderful young man loves you so much he just wants what’s best for you.”

Adam flushed at the praise. But Isaiah said, “I know. I feel it when I’m with Adam. That’s why I don’t want him holding back. But he’s afraid of you, Mom.”

Despite the way Adam felt toward Isaiah, sometimes he had wondered if it was possible for a twelve-year-old boy to love him as deeply as he felt for Isaiah. That question died then and there. The fiery determination in Isaiah’s eyes left no doubt the boy’s love for him just as deep.

With her hand still on Adam’s shoulder, Amanda said, “I trust you, Adam. Even more now than when I asked you to move in.”

Isaiah rounded on her, “Does that mean you’re just okay with us kissing?”

Then, he shocked the young man by moving his hand down, pulling Adam’s underwear down until his erection sprang upward and wrapping his fingers around him, “Or can you be okay with us doing stuff like this?

Isaiah’s brash, unexpected behavior paralyzed adam. Amanda gaped as seconds passed while the boy held him gently, waiting for a response.

Amanda bit her lower lip, her eyes drawn to where the boy held Adam. When she finally spoke, her voice was strained, “I, uh, oh my. Sweetie. Are you sure Adam’s okay with this?”

Adam didn’t know what to think. The uproar he’d expected from Amanda at seeing him exposed hadn’t come. Isaiah leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss, “Hey, boyfriend, do you like this?”

The tingling in his penis felt terrific, even if he’d never been more uncomfortable in front of someone before. He gave a slight nod. And Isaiah moved his hand up and down on his erection, jacking him off in front of Amanda.

Instead of pulling back or screaming at the boy, the young woman sat, mesmerized by the boy’s gentle and slow movement. The tingling gradually grew, and if the boy kept at it, Adam knew what would happen. But the resolute expression in the twelve-year-old’s eyes he couldn’t resist.

After a few more strokes, Isaiah stopped. “This is what I want, Mom.”

He flushed brilliant crimson as he stood between Adam and Amanda and pulled down his briefs, releasing his own meager three-inch erection, letting it slap against his belly when freed. He stepped out of his briefs and then moved Adam’s legs, uncrossing them before grabbing at the young man’s briefs and pulling on them until, by force of will, he pulled them all the way down to his ankles.

Adam knew he needed to say something. Amanda didn’t need to see this. And if she freaked out, what would happen? But he was powerless against Isaiah’s determination as the boy straddled his legs and inched forward until he felt his throbbing erection touch the boy’s penis. Then Isaiah closed the rest of the gap and wrapped his arms around his neck. After another short kiss, the boy turned, “You are okay with this. Right?”

Adam wasn’t sure what to make of the young woman’s expression until she let loose a nervous chuckle. “Isaiah, honey, yeah. But don’t think I, um, needed to see this.”

The boy shook his head and slid off of Adam, as he spread open the young man’s legs. His hand grappled with Adam’s nearly-six-inches as he lowered his face until he was just inches above’s penis. “You do, Mom. Adam has to know you’re okay with him and me doing the sex stuff.”

With that, he lowered his head, surprising both Adam and Amanda when he took the young man’s glans in his mouth. He held it there for a few seconds to prove his point before raising his head again. “You did this once to me, and none of the other times you’ve made me cum made me feel as good. But you won’t do it again, and you won’t let me do it to you. But no more, Adam.”

Another glance at Amanda showed her eyebrows arched in surprise, but no anger, thank God.

Isaiah climbed to his feet, his face reddening again as he glanced at Amanda before grabbing one of Adam’s hand. “Now, it's your turn.”

Confused, Adam said, “My turn? For what?”

Isaiah thrust his hips forward, “I sucked you. Now it’s your turn. I want that feeling again.”

Who was this incredibly sexy, horny, and assertive boy? What had he done with meek little Isaiah?

Adam dared not move. Amanda wouldn’t let this go any further. A glance her way showed her staring at the rigid tube sticking out from her son. Isaiah broke the silence, “Come on, Adam. I know you love me, and I know you want to show me by sucking my dick. Please!”

Adam finally found his voice, “But, your mom!”

Exasperated, Isaiah said, “Mom!”

Amanda blinked and tore her eyes away from her son, “Yes?”

“Can Adam suck on me? He’s worried you’re going to be mad.” Isaiah said, his little nail waving as he shifted between facing Adam and Amanda.

Amanda’s eyes refused to look at her son. “Isaiah, you’re embarrassing us both. Please.”

The boy leaned forward, resting one hand on his mom’s knee and the other on Adam’s. “Only because the man I love is afraid of what he thinks you’ll do to him if he loves me like he should. This is my freaking birthday, and this is the one thing I really, really want.”

The boy shifted again, moving between Adam’s legs, thrusting his hips forward. Every part of Adam wanted to take the boy’s penis into his mouth and watch him squirm with delight. Every part that wasn’t afraid of Amanda’s reaction. Now, when he looked at her, she wore a look of surrender as she murmured, “Go on, Adam. I – I don’t mind.”

With a look of triumph, Isaiah climbed onto the couch, spreading his legs wide so that his penis was more or less even with Adam’s mouth. And with the one burden holding him back now removed, he tried to pretend he wasn’t about to suck his young boyfriend right in front of his mom. Moving forward, he breathed on the small nail-like erection as he closed the distance.

Isaiah’s glans felt hot beneath Adam’s tongue as he licked the diminutive head before taking the top half of the boy into his mouth. The boy moaned and thrust his hips forward, pushing it the rest of the way into Adam’s mouth. Forgetting about being naked, shaved, and sitting in front of Amanda, Adam’s focus narrowed to the three-inches of Isaiah the boy had gifted him. His tongue slid along the bottom of the boy, causing him to groan with pleasure.

Isaiah’s testicles hung in a slightly distended scrotal sack, and as Adam pulled his mouth off the boy’s dick, he licked down the bottom of the shaft until his togue tasted the slight saltiness of the boy’s scrotum. Adam pulled the boy’s balls into his mouth. They fit neatly, no larger than two small pecans. As gently as he could, the young man sucked on them until he felt drawn back to the boy’s sacred shaft. Once his lips pressed against Isaiah’s smooth pubic area, Adam bobbed back and forth, letting the steel-hard erection slide in and out of his mouth.

Adam could feel the boy tensing as he held him at the hips. At that moment, the only thing that existed was Isaiah’s erection, and he used his tongue to stimulate that erection as he bobbed on the boy. Then, from Isaiah’s lips came a shout, “Ahhh, fuckkk! I’m cumm…”

And then it happened. The fleshy nail spasmed as a drop of the boy’s semen landed on his tongue. It was only one drop, but a marked improvement over the small clear bead Isaiah normally produced. Even though the other spasms were dry, that one tiny bit tasted a bit sweeter than that first time a few weeks before.

As Adam pulled back, he helped guide the boy onto his lap, where he shot a lazy grin at his mom, the flush of embarrassment gone. “Okay, Adam, now that Mom knows what we’re doing, stop holding back.”

The taste of Isaiah remained in Adam’s mouth even after swallowing the boy’s seed. The tunnel vision he’d fallen into retreated, and now the young man could feel Amanda’s eyes on him. The trepidation and fear returned despite the boy’s insistence about his mom. Uncertain what to say or do, Adam wrapped his arms around Isaiah’s chest and sent an apologetic look Amanda’s way.

The movie droned on in the background. Tom Cruise simply couldn’t compete for their attention. Amanda drew in a long breath and then said, “No, yes. Um, I mean… Oh, shit. I don’t know what to say.”

Smiling like a bird with canary feathers sticking from its mouth, Isaiah said, “Say that it’s okay.”

Amanda’s expression was inscrutable. She said, “Adam, I didn’t mean to send you conflicting signals. Most of the time, I tried to forget or pretend what the two of you have been up to wasn’t happening. Knowing you, I should have realized you respected me enough to not venture much beyond what you thought I knew about. I know the two of you are gay, and you’re both very attracted to each other. I guess I’m trying to say, is that as you boys explore your sexuality, that I trust you with Isaiah.”

The boy nearly shouted, “See, Adam, I told you so.” With that, he wiggled around until he straddled the young man’s lap and kissed him again.

When the kiss ended, Adam tried to ignore the fact he was still naked in Amanda's presence and simply enjoy the deepening intimacy he felt for Isaiah. And that went fine for all of about five minutes. Then, Isaiah muttered something about, “Oh, yeah. It is my turn.”

With that, he slid off Adam’s legs, splaying them wide as he knelt on the floor, his face perched over the young man’s crotch. This time, his fingers traced across the freshly shaved pubic area, “Wow, it’s really smooth. Does my touch feel better than before?”

With no pubic hair to get in the way, not even any stubble yet, the boy’s touch felt more intimate. “Yeah. Amazingly so. But maybe we should take this back to the bedroom,” he pointed at a slightly scandalized expression on Amanda’s face.

Isaiah’s face flushed red again, “Do we have to?”

Amanda smirked at them both, “Adam’s your boyfriend, Isaiah, not mine. Do you really want me to see you pleasure him?”

The boy grew more embarrassed, “I guess I got carried away this evening. We can go back to our bedroom.”

The newly minted twelve-year-old stood and took hold of Adam’s hand, “Come on, lover boy, I’ve got plans for you!”

***

Chapter 10

Isaiah collapsed on the lower bunk and glanced up at Adam, worried he’d pushed things too far. Still, the tension he’d felt growing was gone now. After closing the door, Adam joined him on the bed and sighed, “What the fuck? I thought I was going to have a heart attack, Isaiah.”

Adam hardly ever swore, and the boy wanted to retreat into his shell for making his boyfriend angry. “I’m sorry, Adam. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but you’ve been pulling back when I try to get closer, and it sucks.”

Like a sail losing its wind, Adam deflated, “Have I? I guess I didn’t realize it. I didn’t mean to. I just…”

Isaiah finished the thought, “Didn’t want my mom to think you were doing stuff with me?”

His boyfriend ruefully chuckled, “I guess we don’t have to worry about that anymore. She knows I give you blowjobs now.”

Isaiah’s face lit up as he remembered the intense electrical feeling that had shot through his body when Adam sucked him off. Still, he didn’t want the young man retreating from something so fun, “It’s not really giving me blow jobs if you only do it once or twice. But if you sucked me a third time…”

Isaiah spread his legs open, offering his seme-erect member to Adam.

The young man laughed as he leaned forward, “Fine, but I’ll get my revenge for making me do that in front of your mom later.”

Then his tongue touched Isaiah’s glans. The electrical sensation was just as intense as it had been earlier, and the boy was in heaven as Adam worked his tongue and lips over his now-straining erection. Unlike earlier, when Amanda was watching, now the young man took his time, kissing and licking along Isaiah’s shaft. It was the weekend; there was no hurry.

Isaiah lost himself to Adam’s swirling tongue. For a fleeting moment, he wondered why he had ever thought Josh might have been worth a kiss. His mom was right. God must have brought Adam into their lives because the young man was so perfect in every way. His hips jolted as his boyfriend engulfed his entire length. Another wordless moan escaped his lips as he felt himself awash in his passion. It was loud enough for his mom to hear, but now, now, it didn’t matter.

A high-pitched squeal escaped his lips as his penis jerked. Isaiah shuddered as he felt his little bit of ejaculate squirt into Adam’s mouth. The young man’s lips and tongue kept at it until the stimulation overcame him and his hands pushed Adam’s head away. Overwhelmed by the intensity of his orgasm, he exhaled, “Fuck! That was good.”

Adam lightly smacked him in the side of the head, “Your mom gave you a free pass this evening. Don’t let her catch you cussing, okay?”

Still reeling from his climax, Isaiah nodded, “Yeah. I want to do that a lot more.”

Chuckling, Adam said, “It’s a good thing your cum tastes so sweet. I think I might become addicted to you.”

The look in Adam’s eyes was enough to fill the boy with certainty. This was right for them. He didn’t know why people thought it was wrong. Not when it felt so right. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and kissed his boyfriend. In addition to the sweet taste of chocolate cake and the familiar taste of Adam, there was something else in the kiss. Was that his own cum?

The taste on his tongue made him want more of Adam, and before he could properly finish shoving his tongue as deep into Adam’s mouth as possible, Isaiah’s head dropped a bit and kissed at Adam’s beautifully smooth nipples. But those weren’t his objective, just a slight detour. He nearly ignored Adam’s innie bellybutton as his fingers wrapped around the base of the young man’s erection. The silky smooth skin above Adam’s penis felt so different against his lips than the pubic hair that once covered where his lips now kissed. This was so much better. He hoped Adam would keep shaving.

There was a slickness on Adam’s penis as the boy’s tongue licked across Adam’s glans. Apart from a slight sweetness, it was tasteless. Before putting his mouth over his boyfriend’s penis, he glanced at Adam’s face. He lay back against the pillow, his eyes closed. Good, Isaiah thought. He wanted to take his time and explore Adam’s penis.

Isaiah’s jaw popped as he slid the large head inside his mouth. But the release of pressure felt better as he adjusted to Adam’s tip. Running his tongue over the young man’s piss slit filled Isaiah’s taste buds with more of that slight sweetness. Then, he pulled back and licked and kissed down the bottom of the large penis until he reached Adam’s ball sack. Unlike times in the past, now it was smooth too. In a fit of curiosity, Isaiah felt his own scrotum. Sure, it was a lot smaller. Of course, his balls were a lot smaller too. But somehow or another, Adam had managed to shave down there to the point he was just as smooth as Isaiah. And it felt fun playing with the twenty-year-old’s balls, kissing and licking them before he worked his way to the tip again.

Adam had told him on several occasions that the young man’s penis was just average. But to Isaiah, it was huge, and he loved the feel of the soft skin over rigid muscles. Especially as the boy added a second inch in his mouth. No matter what Adam might say, Isaiah disagreed as he managed a third inch. But now, Adam was pressing against the roof of his mouth. Another inch and Isaiah’s tonsils would be forced back.

Breathing through his nose, Isaiah mimicked the bobbing motion Adam had performed on him, and even though he came close to gagging, he fell into a rhythm that elicited a long, low moan from his boyfriend.

His jaw started to hurt after Isaiah had been going a couple of minutes, but another moan came from the head of the bed before Adam said, “Watch out, I’m about to blow!”

And before Isaiah could decide if he should pull back, the rigid fleshy pole in his mouth grew even harder and then shuddered in his mouth as salty fluid erupted from Adam. It wasn’t like his own. Spasm followed spasm, blast after blast, as the boy had no choice but to swallow the salty, slightly bitter liquid overflowing from his mouth.

A glob of white goo beaded on Adam’s penis after Isaiah pulled back, a couple of whitish rivulets ran down the corners of the boy’s mouth. The heavy taste of Adam on the boy’s tongue was unfamiliar. While he had tasted worse things, Isaiah wondered if he would acquire the taste for Adam’s cum the same way his boyfriend liked his own semen.

Adam opened his eyes, “Sorry about that. I tried to warn you, but you were doing such a great job, I lost myself.”

Isaiah swallowed again. “No problem. Did you enjoy it?”

Adam nodded as he pulled on Isaiah, pulling him toward his face. After a long, drawn-out kiss, Adam said, “Yeah. That was the best yet. Who could have imagined loving you would be so fun?”

***

Isaiah’s soft breathing brought a tired smile to Adam’s face. They had both sucked each other off a second time. Well, a third time for the boy. But now, he really needed to pee.

As careful as possible, he slid off the bed and hurried to the door. A glance down the short hall showed a flickering light in the living room from the TV. He thought about putting something on, but his clothes were still in the living room, where Isaiah had taken them off. Shaking his head, he stepped across the hallway into the bathroom. By the time he was finished, his bladder felt like normal. Before turning to go, he ran his hand over the smoothness created by his safety razor. It did feel good. Perhaps if he hadn’t already orgasmed twice, his penis might have stirred. Instead, it happily lay dormant, three inches softly laying against his balls.

Involuntarily, he yawned and headed back to bed. When he opened the bathroom door, a voice from the living room said, “Isaiah, honey, is that you?”

Standing in the doorway naked, Adam was tempted to ignore the voice and hurry back into the room he shared with Isaiah. But Amanda had been so good to him, especially after the boy’s efforts earlier in the evening. He said, “It’s Adam.”

“Can you come here, sweetie?”

Still standing at the door, he said, “I’m afraid I’m still undressed, Amanda.”

“That’s alright. After this evening, I think I can handle a little nudity.”

Wondering what Amanda wanted, Adam came into the living room. She was still on the couch, but some romantic comedy with Hugh Grant played on the TV.

When she looked up and saw Adam, Amanda’s eyes lingered over his crotch, covered by his cupped hands, briefly before returning to Hugh Grant. “I couldn’t sleep. What’s your excuse?”

Adam felt uncomfortable as he came over and sat on the other end of the sofa, still covering himself. He didn’t understand why he felt that way. What he felt for Amanda came close to what he’d call love, but it wasn’t anything like his feelings for Isaiah. In his jumbled mind, Amanda was like the friend he’d always wanted Becky to be, as well as what might feel like to have a big sister.

“I had to pee. What time is it?”

“A bit after midnight. I was about to head to sleep, but Isaiah’s loud.”

The heat rushed into Adam’s face as he recalled the boy’s squeals as he came. “Oh, God, I’m sorry.”

Amanda hit the pause button and turned to face him, “No, sweetie, I’m sorry. I had no idea Isaiah had planned to force you and me to accept the full nature of your relationship.”

Adam shook his head, “I wanted to stop it. I couldn’t afford to piss you off.”

Amanda reached across the couch and touched his knee, “You didn’t. It was naïve of me to think Isaiah would be content to play at romance, happy with some kisses and hugs. He wants everything you have to offer him. And, even though it’s weird hearing him when you…”

Adam felt a measure of relief Amanda didn’t finish the sentence. But she did go on, “And you. I know you want everything he has to offer. That’s what love is about, Adam. I wish I had found it with Adam’s father.”

Amanda had never talked about the boy’s dad. All Isaiah had told him was he had never met the guy. The young woman shrugged, “And to think, I thought when I first met you in the fellowship hall, the two of us might have had a chance.”

She chuckled in the darkness.

The admission left Adam at a loss for words. The silence lingered until he managed to say, “I had no idea. Getting to know Isaiah was really how I came to terms with being gay. I’d had other stuff happen when I was in junior high and high school, but I’d tried to chalk them up to experimenting. That lie brought me some comfort for a while, but your son shattered that illusion.”

Amanda moved over until only a few inches separated them, “When I realized you were destined for Adam, I gave up on hoping for something between us. But I’m still terribly fond of you.”

As if that admission were permission, she leaned against Adam’s arm and continued, “I’m flying blind through all this. I love my son with everything I have. And that’s how I’m coping. He loves you so much, and it hurts me watching him fall in love again, thinking he was heading for another disappointment. Only this time, I thought it would be worse than with Josh. I prayed every day that God would give me something. A sign, a miracle. Anything to save Isaiah from a broken heart.

“I never imagined when we met that you were the answer to that prayer, Adam. I know this is messed up. I know I’m supposed to think what you have with Isaiah is wrong. But I’ve been watching your romance blossom, and the two of you share a beautiful innocence. Nobody can convince me God thinks what you have is wrong.”

Adam wasn’t so sure. But Isaiah was too important to him to listen to the arguments that had once held sway over him. He said, “That means a lot to me. When I feel so in love, it’s easy to forget that this is all new to you, too.”

Amanda reached an arm around his torso and hugged him, “Maybe so. But I love you, even if it’s somewhere between how I’d feel about a boyfriend, brother, and friend. There’s nobody else I’d want Isaiah to grow up loving than you.”

Smiling at the warmth of Amanda’s hug as well as her words, Adam said, “Thanks. We’ll try to keep it down and not make things too weird.”

“Oh, sweetie, don’t do that. Be yourselves.”

Adam wasn’t sure she really meant it. “I don’t know that you’d really want Isaiah and me to be lounging around naked in the living room. After this evening, I don’t think I am.”

Amanda leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, “Suit yourself, sweetie. But I wouldn’t mind. Well, I probably wouldn’t want to find Isaiah riding your cock on the couch. I’d be fine with you boys keeping that in your room.”

She laughed nervously as she exited the movie. “I’m glad we got a chance to talk.”

She climbed to her feet, “It is getting late. And I should get on to bed.”

Adam stood, “Yeah. Me too. Thanks for everything.”

There wasn’t much space between them, as Amanda said, “Anytime.”

Then, she took a small step forward and leaned up and kissed him. This wasn’t like the little pecks she had given him when he’d been lying beside Isaiah. This was different. There was a depth of longing in the kiss. But also sadness.

Amanda pulled back, “I’m sorry, Adam. I had no right. It’s just…”

Even though the kiss was over, the memory lingered. Even though it felt different than how Becky used to kiss him, it reminded him of his ex’s kisses. Despite something stirring between his legs, he felt no spark and doubted he ever would.

But his hand reached out and took hers, “It’s okay. I didn’t mind. Good night. See you in the morning.”

Adam turned and walked back to his bedroom. He stopped at the door and watched Amanda head to bed. He felt a mixture of sadness and elation. He was powerless to do anything for her. Despite her kiss, all he felt was something familial for her. His elation came from knowing he was no longer constrained in his feelings for Isaiah. They could be unreservedly together, at least within the boundaries of their bedroom.

He closed the bedroom door behind him and slipped under the covers next to Isaiah. After spooning the boy, he closed his eyes. He tried praying for Amanda, that she would find someone who completed her like Isaiah did him. But before he finished, he was sound asleep.

***

Chapter 11

Adam set the book down on his bed and turned to the keyboard and typed, John Wycliff’s effect on the Reformation should be measured by the role of reformers in England more so than for his impact with figures such as Martin Luther.

“Adam, what’s a whore?”

The young man’s fingers froze on the keyboard. He glanced upward at the top bunk, “I thought you were doing school work.”

Isaiah leaned over the railing, “I am. I’m supposed to write a paper about the Texas Revolution. And I found a story about a whore who was supposed to help the Texans win their independence. So, what’s a whore?”

Thoughts of the Reformation and John Wycliff drifted away on the winds of Isaiah’s question. “Um, it’s a prostitute.”

“Oh, like Mary Magdalene in the Bible?”

Adam frowned. How in the hell did poor Mary from Magdala get turned into a whore in church tradition? Still, that didn’t have anything to do with Isaiah’s question. Adam said, “Yeah. Are you reading about the Yellow Rose of Texas?”

“Yep. Do you think she really existed?”

Adam closed his laptop, “I suppose. You about done with your homework?”

“Almost.”

A moment later, “Adam?”

“Yes, Isaiah.”

“Homecoming is this Friday,” the boy said.

Was October already half over? Adam shook his head. Christmas break would be here before he knew it. He said, “You going to ask some pretty seventh-grade girl?”

“Fuck you.”

Adam laughed. In the confines of their bedroom, the boy had developed a potty mouth. Adam felt a grin spread across his face. The boy had probably developed it because of his tendency to swear when he orgasmed. Isaiah leaned over, “Girls drool, and boys rule. Right? Anyway, I wanted to go. The football team is kicking butt this season. Do you want to go?”

Adam had been living at the Claytons’ for two months. And in that time, he hadn’t taken Isaiah out on a real date. Some of it was money. He’d given the rent money to Amanda each month, and that didn’t leave him a lot of spare cash. But more importantly, he was afraid of what conclusions folks might draw if they saw him and the boy together at a restaurant. But if the two of them played it cool, the last reason shouldn’t be one.

He leaned over and looked up, “Sure, boyfriend. That sounds fun. We’ll go on a real date and then go to the game. How’s that sound?”

Isaiah swung down and nearly landed in his lap as he threw his arms around Adam’s neck and kissed him. The young man set his laptop and books under his bed before running his hands over the boy’s bare back. Adam pushed his tongue into his young boyfriend’s mouth, savoring the tartness of the Smarties Isaiah had been eating.

The boy tugged at his shirt until it fell discarded on the floor. His hands ran over Adam’s smooth chest. A weekly shave reduced his body to the smoothness Isaiah loved to feel. Then, the boy pushed him back and yanked at his loose shorts, giggling in delight when Adam’s orange briefs came off along with the shorts. Isaiah wrapped his fingers around the young man’s growing erection.

Still giggling, he said, “I love all of you, Adam Weston. But I really love this part of you the best.”

Adam couldn’t argue. The deft, gentle touch felt magical on his penis. He could have let the boy have his way, and both of them would have enjoyed it. But he pulled Isaiah to him and wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist before grabbing Isaiah’s shorts and briefs in the back and pulling down on them.

By the time the boy’s clothes landed on top of Adam’s, Isaiah leaned down and licked the young man’s erection. He looked up into Adam’s face, “The only thing that kept me working on my homework was that you wouldn’t let me do any fun stuff until I’m done. Now, I wanna play.”

The fluttering in his belly had stopped as Adam had grown used to being intimate with Isaiah, but that didn’t lessen his desire. He needed the boy’s three-inches in his mouth. Now. Adam picked up his young boyfriend and rotated him around until Isaiah’s head was poised over his erection. Of course, the boy’s rigid nail was pointed at Adam’s face, too. Then he let the boy mold himself to his body as Adam felt his glans enveloped in Isaiah’s small mouth.

He grabbed the boy by the ass-cheeks and pulled Isaiah down until he tasted the first bit of precum on his glans. Then Adam slid the three rock-hard inches into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the twelve-year-old, listening to Isaiah’s groan. Although with his mouth full of most of Adam’s dick, the boy’s moan was muffled.

This was not the first time he and Isaiah had sixty-nined each other, but it never got old. The tingling in his dick grew gradually as the boy went from bobbing up and down on his erection to licking from the balls to the glans, and back to taking as much of Adam as he could manage. Which Adam thought was quite a lot.

He could feel Isaiah’s tonsils slide across the top of his penis as the boy took him as deep as possible, although four inches was the boy’s limit without gagging. The feel of the inside of Isaiah’s mouth was incredible, especially as the boy’s tonsils slid again over his skin. Adam closed his eyes as the buildup continued. The feeling bubbling up from within his balls was so intense, he let Isaiah’s penis slip from his mouth. As though that was some sort of signal, Isaiah lowered his mouth deeper than ever. He coughed and backed up for a moment before pushing deep again. The second time, Adam felt himself tip over as Isaiah’s lips touched his pubic area.

“Holy fuck!” he moaned as his erection spasmed deeper in the boy’s mouth than ever before. After the second shot, Isaiah backed off until just Adam’s glans remained. When the boy finally pulled off, his hand gripped Adam and milked the last little bit.

Then he growled, “My turn, Adam! Make me cum, please!” Hearing his high preadolescent voice talk about sex kept Adam horny as he took to taking the boy’s entire length in his mouth. This was his preferred way of bringing the boy to orgasm, working his tongue up and down the thin shaft.

Isaiah gripped his hair as he pushed down on Adam, trying to drive his erection even deeper. Then he came. One little jet of semen hit the back of Adam’s throat. Then Isaiah’s penis twitched, firing blanks another half dozen times. Even though he couldn’t see the boy’s semen as he swallowed the little amount, Adam knew from the previous day, the boy’s seed was still watery and clear. And sweet. Isaiah’s cum had none of the salty bitterness of his own.

Spinning around, Isaiah lay with his face directly over Adam’s. His feet rested against the young man’s knees as they kissed. He could still taste his semen on Isaiah’s lips. He’d grown used to the taste, but then again, so had the boy.

One thing Adam adored about his young boyfriend was his stamina. Isaiah’s penis pressed against Adam’s abdomen, still as hard as ever. After a long passionate kiss, Isaiah said, “Can we, um, do some more stuff tonight?”

They both had already received mind-numbing orgasms. What more could the boy want?

Resting his hands on the boy’s smooth backside, Adam said, “Sure. What do you have in mind?”

The past couple of months had ended both of their inhibitions with each other. And that’s why Adam was surprised at the flush on Isaiah’s face. Then the boy surprised him, “Can we fuck? I know you said we needed to wait because I’m not ready. But I think I am, and I really want to fuck.”

Adam’s penis twitched at the boy’s suggestion. He had asked the boy to wait a bit. Some of the reason was that he wanted the boy to be a bit larger and some of it was more practical. Isaiah wasn’t a quiet lover. Thank God Amanda was as understanding as she was.

When Adam didn’t respond, Isaiah got up and said, “I’ll be right back.”

A moment later, he returned with some petroleum jelly from his bathroom. “You didn’t say no, so that means yes.”

All the mutual masturbation and blow jobs had been everything Adam had wanted with the boy. But he knew sex with Isaiah would draw them even closer. He just didn’t want to rush it. “Um, okay. You know how it’s done, I guess.”

Isaiah thrust his hips forward, “Yeah, one of us puts it in the other’s ass.”

The way the boy said it gave Adam an idea. He had just turned fourteen the last time Clint had fucked him. The idea of letting Isaiah fuck him sounded fun. “Yeah. You’re right. To get you ready for me to put my dick in you, we’re going to have to do a bit of work to loosen your butthole. But, if you want, you can go first on me.”

Isaiah’s eyes shone brightly as he nearly shouted, “Awesome,” as he climbed onto the bed.

Adam took the petroleum jelly and made a promise to himself to pick up something with an easier cleanup for the next time. He said, “Kneel between my legs, lover boy.”

With Isaiah squatting between his legs, Adam took some of the goop and smeared it over the boy’s still erect penis. Then he took a bit more and fingered himself. The feeling of his finger sliding through the tight sphincter rings felt weird, but when he pulled his finger back, he nodded and said, “You know you won’t be a virgin after this.”

With a face filled with lust, Isaiah said, “I know. But that’ll make us lovers, for real. Not just boyfriends.”

Lining up Isaiah was so different from six years earlier. Clint had been bigger and experienced. Fourteen-year-old Adam had been smaller and the object of the older boy’s lust. In fact, it wasn’t lost on Adam that once Isaiah penetrated him, the boy would lose his virginity before he would.

The slick, cold touch of the lubricant dissipated against the heat of Isaiah’s small head as it pressed against Adam’s sphincter. The young man nodded, “Fuck me, Isaiah.”

And with those three simple words, his young boyfriend pushed inside.

More than six years had come and gone since the last time anyone had invaded Adam. There was a sharp pain that was gone almost as soon as it hit, when Isaiah penetrated the muscle ring. The boy’s three inches slid the rest of the way in nearly effortlessly. Lying under him, Adam enjoyed the pure bliss on the boy’s face when his bald pubic bone pressed just under Adam’s scrotum.

“Wow!” Isaiah said, leaning forward.

It felt like more than three inches inside Adam. And as he felt a bit of pressure forward of his rectum, he closed his eyes at the delightful penetrating pressure.

His eyes snapped open, and he leaned toward Isaiah and kissed the boy before saying, “Go ahead. Move in and out.”

Isaiah slipped out when he pulled back, but his penis found the hole without any help as he let gravity take him back in. The boy’s tip massaged against Adam’s prostate, sending tingling sensations throughout his body.

The boy slipped out once more before figuring out how far back he could go before he’d pop out. He then settled into short rhythmic thrusts that sent waves of bliss radiating out from Adam’s rectum. Isaiah paused for a moment, his eyelids half-closed, before he sped up, “I’m almost there!”

The boy went rigid as Adam felt his insides quiver with each kick of the boy’s penis as he shot his bit of semen into the young man. With a loud yelp of pleasure, Isaiah fell on top of Adam’s chest, letting the young man caress his hair and back while still enjoying the remnants of his bliss.

When Isaiah’s penis slipped out, Adam missed that full sensation when he said, “Was it as good as you’d hoped.”

A bit glassy-eyed, Isaiah lifted his head, and with a big, goofy smile plastered across his face, he said, “Better. That was fucking awesome. Now it’s your turn.”

***

All was right in Isaiah’s world. The release he felt between his legs was almost beyond words as his head rested against Adam’s chest. The sound of his boyfriend’s heart thumping against his ribcage thrilled the boy to know Adam’s heart belonged to him.

When he felt Adam’s penis erect between his legs, he slid off to his side, “I meant it, Adam. I want to know what you felt. Fuck me.”

Adam turned on his side as Isaiah came to rest next to him. The young man leaned forward and kissed him, “No, my love. I want to make sweet love to you.”

With that, Adam knelt and moved over between Isaiah’s legs. When he retrieved the petroleum jelly, he slathered a bit on his finger and placed it at Isaiah’s backdoor. “Let’s see if we can fit this in you first.”

Isaiah had spent some time reading up about sex. Who would have thought there was so much information on WebMD? And the school was nice enough not to block the medical website. Those moments over the past month when he’d been in the bathtub alone, he’d tried penetrating himself with his fingers. That’s when he discovered soap might lube you up, but it could also burn like hell. Still, he’d managed to get a couple of fingers inside his rectum a few times. When Adam’s index finger invaded him, it didn’t hurt. Of course, knowing what to expect helped, as did pushing against his boyfriend’s finger.

“You okay, Isaiah?” Adam said when his finger was in him up to the young man’s second knuckle.

The boy’s focus was on his butt and the feelings within it. The stretching of his sphincter was a bit uncomfortable but not really painful. Isaiah nodded, “Yeah. Go deeper.”

A moment later, he felt Adam’s hand brush against his balls as the young man managed to get his finger all the way in. Isaiah’s insides felt full, or at least fuller than they had when he’d pushed his own fingers up his butt. When Adam withdrew his finger, the boy felt a powerful tingle between his butt and penis.

“Oh, wow. That felt good,” he said even as his boyfriend slid his finger deep inside.

Adam seemed to enjoy fingering Isaiah, and who was he to complain? His boyfriend’s finger felt good. Then, he gasped in longing as the finger came out. Adam said, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve done this before. Your muscles are relaxed a bit. We’ll see if I can fit inside you.”

When he’d slathered the slick goop on his penis, Adam leaned forward until Isaiah felt pressure on his butt hole. Some of the articles he read said that butt sex could be really painful. Others seemed to say proper preparation was all that was needed to make it feel magical. He prayed the second opinion was right as he pushed against Adam’s penis the same way he would if he were taking a poop.

Adam’s erect, hard penis was bigger than his finger. A lot bigger, and as the young man forced his way past the outer muscle ring, Isaiah blinked back tears at the pain.

“Whoa,” Adam stopped his forward motion and said, “You okay?”

Isaiah nodded as the pain gradually faded, “Yeah. You’re really big.”

Without moving his erection any deeper, Adam leaned forward and kissed Isaiah’s lips, “You keep saying that, but I’ve barely average. I bet you end up bigger than me.”

The pain subsided by then. Isaiah said, “By then, we’ll both be experts at buttfucking. Can you go deeper?”

If he had thought Adam’s fingers filled him up, he couldn’t have been more wrong. As his boyfriend pushed in another inch, part of Isaiah felt like he had never been as full. Mesmerized by the feelings swirling inside him, both figurative and literally, Isaiah propped himself up on his elbows so he could see the space between him and Adam.

“Holy shit, Adam, I can see you inside me! That’s sick!” he nearly shouted. Adam took his excitement as proof the young man wasn’t hurting Isaiah and pushed in a bit further. Isaiah’s eyes bugged. There was some discomfort, but nothing compared to the pleasantly weird feeling that came from having most of his boyfriend buried in his ass.

With a ragged sigh, Isaiah lay his head back down as he felt Adam’s pubic bone press against his balls. In a voice tinged with wonder, the young man said, “I’m all the way in. How’re you doing?”

Isaiah had no idea if fucking himself with his fingers over the past few weeks had helped or if Adam’s larger finger penetrating him had done the trick, but now that his sphincter had been violated, every bit of him that had taken in all of Adam’s erection felt terrific.

Instead of moving in and out, Adam let his body rest atop Isaiah’s. The boy would have thought he’d have been crushed, but it wasn’t like that. Of course, as the young man kissed him, any thought about how much heavier was Adam went out the window. His twenty-year-old lover pushed past the boy’s lips, twisting his tongue against Isaiah’s.

When he finally broke the kiss, Adam slowly pulled his penis out until only his glans remained inside Isaiah. He slowly sank back in, gradually driving five inches deep into Isaiah’s rectum. The boy let loose a happy yelp as that tingling in the space between his butt and his penis tingled even more.

Adam’s rocking motion wasn’t fast, but every time his penis rubbed along Isaiah’s prostate, the boy wordlessly moaned his bliss. Then the most amazing thing happened. After an intense jolt, he felt the tingling explode, running up his spinal column, down his legs, and to the tip of his penis. And he came again. The watery, clear cum oozed out of his piss slit as his erection spasmed.

“Ahhh, fuck!” Isaiah cried out as the most intense orgasm he’d ever had wracked his body.

Then, as if that weren’t enough, Adam groaned, burying himself as deep into the boy as ever as his body shook. The feeling of the young man growing bigger and harder inside him just made that orgasm deep inside Isaiah keep coming.

Adam hunched over the boy, nestling his head against Isaiah’s neck until the boy’s orgasm finally ended. Slowly, the young man, a look of astoundment writ across his face, kissed Isaiah tenderly on his lips. After a long, lazy kiss, he said, “That’s how we make love.”

***

Chapter 12

“Are you sure I look okay?” Isaiah said with another glance at his blue jeans and button-down yellow shirt. Although the only person who mattered was sitting in the driver’s seat, the boy still wanted to look his best.

“Yeah, super-hot,” Adam said as he put the car into park. “If we weren’t in the middle of the high school parking lot, I’d show you just how hot you are.”

Isaiah loved how his boyfriend could make his cheeks turn red, but not quite as much as he made other parts of the boy respond. “I liked the kiss you gave me before we left the pizza parlor parking lot.”

It has been daring, too. The parking lot had been crowded. Isaiah and Adam hadn’t been the only people who had gone there before the big game, although the boy hadn’t recognized anyone. They had all been high schoolers with their dates. But, after Adam had held the passenger side door open for him and then came around to the driver’s side, the young man had reached over the console and pulled Isaiah close enough to steal a kiss. The only thing Isaiah would have found more erotic is if there had been anyone nearby in the parking lot.

Adam reached over the console and lightly tousled Isaiah’s hair, “Yeah. I could tell. What a shame we have to cool our jets for a few hours. Think we can pretend to be just friends until the game’s over?”

Isaiah flashed a grin, “We’ll see. Let’s go before all the good seats are gone.”

The boy was out of the car and waiting for Adam to grab a jacket and come around to his side. It was hard not to hold his hand as they walked toward the gate. Sure, Adam was his boyfriend, but they hardly ever went out, so the notion of masking their relationship was hard on Isaiah. After all, his mom had come to accept Adam as something between a son and younger brother. At least that’s how it seemed to Isaiah.

Once they handed over their tickets, they made their way into the stands and found a spot fairly high up, close to the fifty-yard-line. Even though he wasn’t supposed to show any affection, Isaiah leaned his head against Adam’s shoulder, but when the young man didn’t complain or correct him, the boy settled in and waited for the kick-off.

Once the game started, leaning against Adam became a thing of the past. The fans in the bleachers were on their feet, cheering for their team most of the time. Isaiah and Adam were right there with the rest of the crowd, cheering them on.

The visiting team was the only other team in their district also undefeated. By the last half of the fourth quarter, the home team was ahead by a field goal when the visitors intercepted the ball and ran it most of the way back, only missing a touchdown by ten yards. On their first down, they ran the ball down the middle but lost a yard when the running back was tackled before he could get across the line of scrimmage.

On the second down, the visiting team’s quarterback tried the same tactic. This time, the running back managed to claw his way forward, not going down until he was inside the seven-yard-line. On the third down, the visiting team’s quarterback snapped the ball laterally to his wide receiver, who would have made it into the endzone, save for the home team’s cornerback taking him out just outside of the one-yard-line.

Everyone in the stands was on their feet. If the visitors scored, then they would probably win the district title. If the home team won, then they were nearly a shoo-in for the district title. And all that stood between their foes taking that title away from Isaiah’s team was one measly yard.

After a short timeout, the opposing team kept the same players on the field. They were going to go for it! Isaiah climbed on the bleacher to see over the heads of the people in front of him. He had to see it. Could his team stop the ball?

The quarterback snapped the ball. And handed off the ball to his running back, who veered around the defensive linebackers. The home team’s safety and one of the linebackers took him down right in front of the goal.

The crowd went wild. Isaiah jumped up and down and then threw his arms around Adam and gave him a big hug, “We’re gonna win, Adam! There’s only a couple of minutes left on the clock!”

He stayed with his arms around his boyfriend until Adam gently removed his arms from his neck before giving him a sly wink.

And the clock wound down as the home team took possession of the ball and ran the clock out on a series of three more plays. Again, Isaiah didn’t care about a little hug; who could object to that? This time, he climbed onto Adam’s back and grabbed around the young man’s neck and enjoyed the feel of his boyfriend. He was especially happy when Adam carried him back to the car, riding on his back the whole way.

When they got home, Adam put the car into park and reached across the console and pulled him into his lap, “God, feeling your boner poking me in the back from the bleachers to the car was enough to drive me insane.”

Isaiah melted against him as the young man’s tongue trespassed his mouth. The hint of pepperoni betrayed Adam’s choice of pizza from earlier. The larger tongue in his mouth made Isaiah long for their familiar intimacy, and his hand pushed against the young man’s jeans, where he felt Adam’s erection outlined in his pants.

Isaiah needed more. He opened the driver’s door and slid out. Before bolting toward the front door, he said, “Last one into the bedroom gets fucked first!”

***

When Adam closed the front door, he saw Amanda lying on the couch. She had a box of tissues sitting on her lap. Before he could ask, he noticed she was watching some tear-jerker. She waved at him as she set the box on the floor. “Isaiah made a bee-line for the bedroom. Said it was a race. How was the date?”

Even after ten weeks, the heat radiated to Adam’s face, despite Amanda’s knowledge of what he and Isaiah were doing behind their closed door. “Good. The football team won. Isaiah had a good time.”

Amanda smiled. Although she had been incredibly supportive of his relationship with Isaiah, Adam was still embarrassed that she knew pretty much everything going on. It wasn’t like the boy was a quiet lover. “I imagine he’s expecting a good time tonight.”

Then she nodded toward Adam’s pants. His erection was still making an indention in his jeans. “Looks like both of you are looking for a good time.”

The crimson in his face spread up and down, “Um, really?”

The young woman chuckled, “It’s really weird and kind of messed up, but let me joke about it. It makes it easier for me knowing how much you love each other. Now, go on, get your ashes hauled.”

Adam headed toward the bedroom, trying not to think too deeply about how Amanda coped with his relationship with her son. When he opened the bedroom door, he spied Isaiah on the lower bunk. He was naked, his three inches pointing directly at the top bunk. “What took you so long? Was thinking you got lost or kidnapped.”

The twinkle in Isaiah’s eyes showed his words to be trash talk. Adam pulled his shirt off, “Well, your mom just wanted to make sure that I put some duct tape over your mouth so she could get some sleep.”

Isaiah had the good grace to blush. “Well, when it feels so good, it’s hard to be quiet.”

Adam unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants down, “I guess she’s going to hear you moan like a banshee tonight.”

The boy’s flush deepened, “But I won. It’s my turn.”

Adam let his blue briefs fall to the floor before he let his erection lead him over to the bed, “That’s fine, lover-boy, but the night is young.”

Adam dove onto the bed, grabbing at Isaiah as the boy tried wiggling free. The young man’s fingers ran up and down the boy’s ribs, eliciting peals of laughter. By the time his young lover could stammer out a “S-stop,” Adam lay nearly on top of Isaiah.

The boy’s brown eyes, not much different than his own, drew him in like nothing else could. Somewhere deep inside, Adam knew the boy was on the cusp of puberty. It was even possible he would outgrow their affair as he grew from boy, to teen, to man. Part of Adam would always be drawn to Isaiah, the boy, but he hungered to see how the boy would grow into a man.

His hands rested on Isaiah’s chest, “I love you, Isaiah Luke Clayton.”

The playful expression on the boy’s face gave way to an uncharacteristically meditative one, “At school, sometimes when I think about you, my heart thunders in my chest because I just want to be with you. I know I’m only in the seventh grade, and I’m just a kid, but I’ll always love you, Adam Weston.”

Adam kissed the boy’s neck before drifting down his body, suckling on Isaiah’s small nipples until they grew hard under his tongue. Then, he dug his tongue into the indention of the boy’s belly button. Despite being ticklish, Isaiah quietly chuckled as his fingers ran through Adam’s straight, brown hair. He only gasped when the young man’s tongue caressed his glans.

“Oh!”

Adam slipped the boy’s erect penis into his mouth. Isaiah felt larger than when they had first started more than two months before. Perhaps slightly thicker around and a bit longer. But if that were so, Adam couldn’t have cared less as he sucked the boy.

He hadn’t been down on the boy for long when his young lover pushed him up and said, “Two can play at this game. Flip around.”

Happy to oblige his young lover, Adam pivoted until his midsection was poised over Isaiah’s face. Once the boy’s tongue licked across his glans, the young man went down again on the boy, eager to bring him to orgasm first.

Adam’s nose was filled with a sweaty smell unique to Isaiah. It was one that drove him crazy with lust, and he alternated between licking and sucking on his lover’s little tool until Isaiah stopped sucking on him as he wiggled his butt as pressure built.

“Ahh! Fuck!” the boy cried out as his hips bucked upward, and he spasmed. There was more watery seed now than ten weeks before. A second drop hit the back of Adam’s throat. With a hint of something akin to sweet and salty peanuts, the boy’s ejaculate was still sweet in Adam’s mouth, but with a bit more saltiness, too.

When Adam pulled back, Isaiah’s penis remained erect. That was another delight Adam found in the boy. He could stay erect through multiple orgasms. At twenty, it didn’t take him very long to recharge his batteries, but the boy had hardly any downtime.

Isaiah slapped his butt, “Roll over. I want to be on top.”

Once repositioned, the boy returned to Adam’s penis, bobbing up and down with all the practice and experience two months had given him, even teasing Adam with his tongue. The young man didn’t last long, the feeling in his balls bubbling up, until he moaned, “Cumming!”

Isaiah pushed forward until Adam felt the boy’s tonsils, and then he shuddered as his penis spasmed, sending a load down the boy’s throat. It was followed by a handful more spurts. As his orgasm slowly retreated, Adam enjoyed the powerful feelings as the boy pulled his mouth back until just the young man’s glans remained inside.

When Isaiah finally let his softening penis slip from his mouth, Adam found himself aroused by a hint of something shiny on the boy’s lips, the only sign from swallowing his cum. The young man pulled the boy up to his face, where the taste of his own seed on the boy’s lips was intoxicating.

After long kisses, the boy pulled back and squatted on his knees. His erection pointed toward the top bunk. “That was fun. Now, it’s my turn.”

Without waiting for permission, Isaiah spread the young man’s legs a bit wider and then reached under the mattress for some KY, which Adam had recently bought. After smearing a bit on his penis, he leaned forward, barely waiting as his slender cock pushed through Adam’s muscle ring. Of course, since discovering the joys of anal sex a week before, they had practiced it almost nightly since then.

Isaiah rocked his hips back and forth, in short jabs designed to keep him inside Adam. Despite his three inches, the boy’s tip found the sweet spot inside Adam, and the young man felt a special tingling growing inside him. Normally, Isaiah shot his seed within a couple of minutes, before the growing feeling inside Adam would come to completion. But with only a few minutes since his last eruption, Isaiah seemed to settle on a gentle rocking motion.

He murmured, “You feel like the perfect glove, Adam. I could do this all night.”

The young man couldn’t complain. Especially each time the boy’s penis hit his prostate. “You fill me up, Isaiah. It’s like having something just right in me.”

After another lingering kiss, the boy slipped back into a pleasurable rhythm. Adam wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the intense feelings spilled out from his prostate, and his semi-erection shook with an orgasm from much deeper than normal. White, sticky prostatic fluid covered his stomach as the orgasm crashed over his entire body. Somewhere inside his mind, he realized this was the feeling Isaiah had received each time he made love to the twelve-year-old. And it intense beyond words.

And still, Isaiah kept moving, although he picked up his pace at the sight of the young man’s orgasm. And a few minutes later, while Adam’s prostate orgasm continued to wrack his body, Isaiah shuddered and collapsed on top of him as the boy came again.

Time lacked meaning to Adam. He wasn’t sure how long Isaiah lay atop him, but one thing was sure. The twelve-year-old’s erection never flagged or faltered. And after a bit, Adam’s returned. Even so, he didn’t have the energy or desire to climb atop the boy. Instead, he turned on his side and spooned his young lover after preparing himself to invade the boy’s tightness.

Once Adam felt himself pushing on the boy’s sphincter, he was rewarded by Isaiah pushing against him as the boy cooed, “Oh, fuck, that feels good. We are going to do this all night!”

Adam doubted he had much stamina remaining, but that didn’t stop him from pulling the boy deeper into his embrace as well as burying himself deeper in Isaiah. When the boy shuddered, Adam said, “I should have gone slower. Did I hurt you?”

Isaiah shook his head, “You’re good. It barely even hurt when you pushed it in. It feels really good inside me. Don’t stop.”

Despite exhaustion tugging at him, Adam rocked back and forth on his hips, slowly sliding in and out of Isaiah. The boy’s rectum pulled on his penis as if trying to keep him embedded within him. The best of it was despite how good and tight Isaiah felt on him, the tingling at the base of his penis was a long time arriving and longer still building up.

Isaiah shook in his embrace as his orgasm wracked his entire body. Adam wrapped his fingers around the boy and tried to make the prostatic orgasm even more intense. Of course, the fact the boy had nothing left in reserve only intensified his orgasm.

By the time Adam finally felt his balls constrict, Isaiah barely moved in his arms. His moans were soft, no louder than a whisper. The young man’s eruption filled his young lover’s bowels, and in the protracted moment of his orgasm, Adam passed out.

***

Chapter 13

Adam spied the boy hurrying from the front entrance of the junior high school. Usually, Isaiah strolled out to the car, chatting with one or two other students. Now, though, his gait was long and hurried. He practically threw himself in the passenger’s seat and burst into tears.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

The boy shook his head, “Just get me the fuck out of here, please, Adam.”

A car horn behind him reminded Adam others were waiting in line. After pulling out of the school’s long drive, he said, “Hey, now, we’re out of there. What’s wrong?”

Tears streamed down Isaiah’s face, his eyes red-rimmed, “Ja’Quille called me a faggot.”

Adam had no idea who Ja’Quille was, but he could feel a dagger poised at his heart and felt for his young boyfriend. “Why’d he do that?”

Isaiah wiped his eyes with his shirtsleeve, “He saw me hugging you at the game, said only queers hug like that.”

Adam felt anger boiling up from within. Part of his anger was at this unknown seventh-grader named Ja’Quille. Part of it was because seventh graders could be intolerably cruel. And part of it was at a society that required his relationship with his young boyfriend remain hidden.

He put a hand on Isaiah’s leg, “Did you tell him whether you’re gay or not is none of his business?”

Isaiah’s normally cheerful countenance was stormy, “I’ve told a couple of my friends I’m gay. But not that asshole. It didn’t stop him from telling me I’m going to Hell because God doesn’t like faggots!”

Adam pulled under the carport, “That’s bullshit, Isaiah.”

“Is it? I mean, Mom wanted me to go to church so that I’d stop feeling bad about trying to hug Josh.”

Thinking back over the past months, Adam chuckled, “How’d that work out for you?”

Isaiah let a giggle out between sobs, “Well, I found you there. Maybe not too bad.”

As they headed into the house, he added, “When we’re together, I feel more alive and more excited about stuff than any other time. I’m not really going to Hell for that, am I?”

Once inside the house, Adam closed the door and turned and enveloped Isaiah into a fierce hug, “Hell, no. I don’t want you thinking like that. God doesn’t hate you or me, just because we love each other.”

Isaiah collapsed on the couch, “Forget that stupid Ja’Quille, but even at Wakefield doing gay stuff, they’d say is wrong. Right?”

Adam sat down next to the boy, “I’m not sure how to think about it, except for feeling just like you. I love you more than anyone else, Isaiah. The only reason I don’t shout it from the highest mountain is that a lot of people wouldn’t understand or approve of my love; they’d say you’re too young for me. When you’re old enough that people won’t crucify me, I’ll tell anyone and everyone that we love each other.”

Isaiah shifted and climbed into his lap, “I guess youth group leaders don’t know much either.”

Adam wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist, “Not this one.”

“You’re still studying to go into the ministry, though,” Isaiah said, “I don’t want to go to Hell, but I don’t want to not be with you even more.”

Adam pulled Isaiah into a short kiss. “I’m still studying for it because that’s what my scholarship is for. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a preacher or even a youth pastor, though. But I hope I can still figure out a way to help people.”

Isaiah wore a lopsided smile, “Is there anyone I could talk to that could help me understand?”

Adam thought about Pastor Rich. He wasn’t sure if he would have any answers to help Isaiah’s conflict. After all, Adam felt the same tear in his spirit. After talking with Rich, there were two things he’d known for certain. First, he’d never be a pastor. The second was his relationship with Isaiah didn’t change God’s love for him.

“Maybe. Let me make a phone call tomorrow.”

Then Adam leaned forward and explored the inside of Isaiah’s mouth with his tongue. The boy moaned and inched forward on his lap until their chests touched. One thing led to another, and a bit later, Adam had traded places with Isaiah, who now sat on the couch with his shirt and pants on the floor.

When Adam pulled the boy’s red briefs down, he was pretty sure the boy was nearly three and a half inches. But as he ran his hands across Isaiah’s pubic area, it was still silky smooth. He envied the boy a smoothness that took no effort to maintain. It was silly to think that, but Adam didn’t much care as he bent down and took Isaiah in his mouth.

Adam took his time licking and sucking the boy. He took the small orbs in the boy’s scrotum in his mouth and then licked Isaiah’s shaft, breathing in the boy’s prepubescent sweaty scent as he became aroused. Then he alternated between bobbing and sucking. Yes, he thought, Isaiah was definitely a bit larger than when they had started a few months before. The thought of watching his young lover grow, get bigger and leave childhood behind was intoxicating.

The twelve-year-old squirmed on the couch. Adam could tell he was getting close. When Isaiah threw his head back and loudly moaned, his whole body shook. Adam felt the little nail grow even harder, and then a few jets of watery cum splattered the back of his throat.

Isaiah groaned, “Fuck, yeah. Suck it!”

The front door opened, and Amanda walked in. Adam froze. He knelt between the boy’s legs. Isaiah’s penis was still in his mouth. So was the boy’s semen.

Amanda did a one-eighty, “Oh, shit! What the hell, boys? Couldn’t you take this to your room?”

Adam swallowed the boy’s sweet and salty nectar and let Isaiah’s appendage slip out. He pivoted around and sat next to the boy. “Um, sorry,” he managed.

Isaiah grinned up at his mom. “What? You don’t mind, do you?”

Despite the boy’s erection pointing heavenward, Amanda turned back to face them, “Not minding isn’t the same thing as seeing the two of you. I’d at least like to pretend my little boy and his boyfriend are innocently playing video games.”

Adam had gotten to know Amanda well over the past few months, and he could tell her voice was mostly exasperation. There was no heat behind it. Still, she didn’t want to see what they were doing.

He said, “Come on, Isaiah, let’s go back to our bedroom.”

Isaiah was almost to the door when Amanda stopped him. “Everything okay?”

Adam wanted to tell her everything was fine. But it wasn’t. He explained about Isaiah’s run-in with the other seventh-grader.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she groaned. “That’s the last thing Isaiah needs to worry about.”

“I’m at the same place, Amanda. I know what he’s going through. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to schedule a time for him to visit Pastor Rich. He helped me when I realized I was gay. I’d like to think he can do the same for Isaiah.”

Amanda pursed her lips, “Maybe. But Wakefield doesn’t seem very supportive to me, Adam. Pastor Rich included it in one of his sermons recently as a sin. Are you sure?”

Ignoring the boner he’d gotten while blowing his young boyfriend, Adam nodded, “Yeah. I think it’ll help.”

Amanda finally nodded, “Okay. Now get out of here.”

Adam headed toward the bedroom. It was his turn now.

***

“Hey, Isaiah, thanks for coming by,” Pastor Rich said as he stretched out his hand.

Isaiah shot a worried glance at Adam before taking the pastor’s hand. “H-hi Pastor Rich.”

Everyone at Wakefield called him Pastor Rich, not Pastor Miller. A few even just called him Rich. The informality helped put Isaiah at ease as he came into the pastor’s study.

Adam stayed at the door, offering a smile of encouragement.

Pastor Rich had a battered desk against one wall. Behind it were big bay windows. But the pastor guided him to a pair of comfortable chairs against another wall. When the boy sat, the pastor said, “Adam will be waiting for you.”

Isaiah bit his lip, “Um, I’d rather he stay. Is that okay?”

Pastor Rich waved his boyfriend into the office, “Sure. Adam, have a seat while me and Isaiah have a chat.”

A moment later, the pastor sat opposite Isaiah, “So, Adam says you’re having a rough time. A kid at school bullying you?”

Isaiah nodded, “Yeah. I mean, yes, sir.”

A smile creased the pastor’s face, making him look years younger than his nearly fifty years. “Pastor Rich or just Rich is fine. Why do you think he was bullying you?”

Isaiah couldn’t help himself. He glanced at Adam for strength. Once the young man nodded, Isaiah said in a voice barely above a whisper, “I, uh, am gay.”

The minister nodded slightly, unperturbed by his hesitant declaration. “When did you realize this?”

The boy counted the months. March through December. “Almost a year ago.”

Pastor Rich leaned back, “Before you and your mom joined our little congregation. Perhaps what you’re feeling is a passing phase, Isaiah. Boys your age experiment with other boys a lot. Keep that in mind. But for now, I’m going to take you at your word. Okay?”

For some reason, Pastor Rich’s non-threatening demeanor made him relax a bit.

The pastor continued, “Look, I’m not going to try to tell you you’re not gay. That’s between you and God. Instead, ask me what’s on your mind.”

Isaiah breathed a silent breath of relief. Since Adam had told him he’d schedule some time with Pastor Rich, the boy had been brimming with questions. He said, “Am I going to Hell? A boy at school said that I was.”

Pastor Rich’s lips thinned, “You want the simple answer or the complicated one?”

Why do people have to be so complicated? Isaiah’s sigh filled the room, causing both the men to chuckle lightly. Frowning slightly at Adam, the boy said, “Whichever one is the right one.”

Pastor Rich laughed, “Oh, you’ve got a smart kid here, Adam.”

He grew serious, “Stop me at any point if you don’t understand me. The short answer is that we believe salvation is through Jesus alone. Nothing else matters. If you accepted Jesus as your savior, then that’s it.”

Isaiah had been baptized at the last church he and his mom had attended before moving here. What Pastor Rich said matched up with what the pastor at that other church said. But it couldn’t be that easy. “Why’d that kid say I was going to hell? I’ve seen stuff online that says the same thing. That a gay person is going to go to hell.”

The pastor leaned forward, “Are you familiar with binary code? Ones and zeroes?”

Isaiah wasn’t terribly interested in computers, but he’d read about ones and zeroes as a computer language. He nodded.

The pastor said, “Well, some people think things are easy. You’re a Christian, you’re not a Christian. You’re gay, you’re straight. You’re fat, you’re thin. Of course, there are lots more examples. But they think if you’re a Christian, then you can’t be gay.”

The way Pastor Rich spoke, Isaiah got the impression he wasn’t impressed with that line of reasoning. “But that’s not how I feel.”

“Exactly. There’s only one person who can judge your relationship with God. That person is you.”

Isaiah nodded. That made sense. Still, he had more questions. “So, it’s not a sin?”

Pastor Rich smiled and shook his head, “A person’s relationship with God is sacred, Isaiah. But it doesn’t mean they’re without sin. The Bible lists many sins, things that if we do them, we’re going against God’s plan for our lives. The boy who cheats on his test, the girl who bullies other students, the boy who lies to his parents, someone who steals from others. Those are just a few examples, but all of them are wrong. I believe homosexual acts are part of those things that are wrong.”

“Oh,” Isaiah said, his head resting on his chest and his eyes looking at the carpet.

“Isaiah,” Pastor Rich said, “I don’t think God puts homosexual behavior any higher on his list of things we should abstain from than any of those other sins. Do you think someone who lies can’t get into Heaven?”

“Of course not,” Isaiah said. “Well, I guess it depends on the lie.”

Pastor Rich smiled, “I’m not sure about that. Other Christian groups think differently, but I hold to the idea once you become a Christian, you’re always saved. Oh, I know, there are plenty of people who are looking to fill that full of holes, but that’s what I believe.”

Isaiah lifted his head, “So, because I’m a Christian, I’m going to heaven even though I’m gay?”

Pastor Rich gave him a slight smile. “I don’t think your sexual preference has anything to do with your salvation, Isaiah.” He paused, his eyes getting a faraway stare. After a moment, he refocused on the boy, “If you end up in a homosexual relationship, you may find yourself living with a bit of a disconnect between your faith as a Christian and your lifestyle. If that happens, my door is always open to you.”

Then his eyes drifted over to Adam, who had been quietly listening the entire time, “You’re not alone in what you’re feeling, Isaiah. I know one other young man who is wrestling with the same challenges. Just like I told him, the doors of Wakefield are always open to you. I’m not going to tell you that if you live a homosexual lifestyle that we’ll approve of that choice. But, the doors will always be open to you.”

Isaiah cut a quick glance at Adam and flashed his lover a quick smile. “So, if I’m gay, I can still come to church? You’re not going to kick me out if I, um, have a gay, uh boyfriend?”

The pastor’s cheeks turned a shade of scarlet before he chuckled, “Isaiah, we’re a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. There are a lot of people sitting in those pews on Sunday whose lives are messed up. Of course, you and your, um, boyfriend would be welcome.”

While Isaiah felt somewhat better, he didn’t fully understand. It was very evident Pastor Rich viewed homosexual acts as sins. And Isaiah would rather die than give up what he had with Adam. But Pastor Rich wanted him to keep coming to church. That wasn’t what he’d expected. “That’s cool,” he managed as his mind worked over the conversation.

Pastor Rich reached out and put a hand on Isaiah’s shoulder, “If you want to visit some more, tell Adam or call my office. I’m here to help. Before my next appointment gets here, do you boys mind if I say a quick prayer?”

***

Epilogue

Adam felt a warmth in his ear that pulled him from his sleep. Still, he felt comfortably warm in the bed with a smaller body cuddled against his back. Again, the warm air flowed over his ear, and his hand swatted at the air.

A treble giggle sounded just inches from the same ear, followed by a familiar voice, “Come on, It’s a Saturday, you can’t sleep all day when there’s stuff to do.”

Adam cracked open an eye and glanced at the nightstand next to the head of the bed. It was barely past eight in the morning. “Jeeze, Isaiah. Do you know what time it is?”

The boy went from cuddling against his back to spooning him. The familiar heat against his ass was accompanied by, “Yeah, time to make love to you.”

A twitch below reminded the young man, his younger lover wasn’t the only one with needs. Adam flipped the covers back on the queen size bed and flipped over and faced Isaiah. The boy’s face lacked the rounded shape he’d first come to love. But the angular adolescent visage gazing back at him held the same warm, brown eyes he’d fallen in love with two years before.

Adam slid an arm around the boy and pulled him close. Their kiss lingered, a combination of good morning and let’s make love, driving them together. Isaiah’s penis pressed against his own, leaving Adam no doubt precisely what the boy wanted.

When Isaiah climbed on top of him, Adam couldn’t help but smile. He’d heard most gay relationships have a dominant and submissive partner. He chuckled at the idea. The previous night, he’d been the one taking what the boy happily offered. Despite the years between them, Adam felt a communion with Isaiah almost of equality. The boy led out exploring what he wanted perhaps more often than he took control, although it was close.

The boy reached between their bodies, and Adam nearly gasped when Isaiah accidentally touched him with the cold lubricant on his fingers. A moment later, he felt Isaiah pushing against his butt. Adam had lost count of the times he and Isaiah had made love. The young teen was soon impaled, his nearly five inches buried inside Adam’s ass.

Watching the boy grow over the past couple of years had been a time of delight. They’d celebrated the boy’s first pubic hair, as well as the first shaving of said pubic hair a few weeks later. Adam had been there the first time Isaiah’s high pitch had warbled and cracked. He’d even sat in the school’s large gym a few days before and watched the boy walk across the stage, officially graduating from the eighth grade.

“Hey, old man, where were you?” Isaiah said as he rested his hips against Adam’s.

Adam smiled and leaned forward for another kiss. “Just thinking about us. About how lucky I am.”

Isaiah pushed forward, bottoming out. “Admit it, you just like me for my sexy body.”

Adam bit back a moan as his body tingled. Isaiah was good at finding his prostate. Although the boy had always done well pleasuring his ass, as he’d gotten bigger, he’d also gotten better. “Yup. Shut up and make love to me.”

Isaiah slid in and out, “You’re getting senile, old man. You’re the one doing most of the talking.”

He fell silent as he sped up. Isaiah, already lying flat on the bed, closed his eyes and felt his swollen prostate getting close. Then, he felt a familiar explosion inside him, and his penis erupted, splattering his semen over his stomach. Isaiah didn’t stop. With lust in his eyes, he moved even faster. Then, he shoved himself in as a shudder thundered through his body. Adam felt something even hotter than his ass fill it.

Breathing heavily, Isaiah fell against his chest. After a long moment, he groaned, “Gross, your cum is all over my belly now.”

Adam wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist. “That’s nothing. Give me a few, and my cum will be up in your ass, too.”

Grinning, Isaiah slid off and said, “Go for it.”

Adam did.

Later, he drove over to the university with Amanda in the passenger seat and Isaiah in the back. Like his young boyfriend a few days earlier, today was Adam’s day to walk across the stage and receive his diploma.

He gave Amanda and Isaiah hugs and watched them head toward the arena’s general seating, where several thousand people were already waiting to watch their loved ones graduate. Adam made his way to the assembly area, where ushers handed out a single sheet with instructions. Once he found his spot toward the back of the assembly area, there was nothing to do but don the black graduation gown and wait.

Graduation was about transitions. Leaving something behind and pursuing something new. Most of the people who he knew well from his classes were heading home after graduation. A few were probably destined to live in their parents’ basement. But most were excited for the next step in their journey, whether it included a new job or marriage, or sometimes even both.

Someone made an announcement. Commencement music played over the area’s sound system as the graduates filed into the seats where the college’s basketball games were usually held. The problem with the last name Weston was it was pretty far back in the alphabet. So, when he finally got to his spot in the arena, he was on one of the last rows. With hundreds of names to go before W, he knew it would be a while before his name was called.

Adam wasn’t going back home. His mom had moved on with her life and remarried. He barely knew his stepfather. There was nothing back there for him. His future, at least for a bit longer, was here. Sure, he was taking the summer off, but he had already been accepted into the graduate program for clinical psychology.

The graduation ceremony was moving along. The graduates a few rows ahead of Adam were rising to their feet, filing down toward the stage.

Of course, Isaiah was ecstatic Adam was staying. They had already made plans to return to Schlitterbahn in a few weeks. In fact, he was pretty sure this summer would be the best yet for him and his young boyfriend.

Before he realized how much time had passed, Adam rose, along with the other graduates on the next to last row. He filed down the long aisle, as slowly, one by one, each graduate hurried across the stage, shook the hand of the university president and received their diploma, and paused for a split second for a photographer to capture the event on celluloid.

When it was finally his turn, Adam’s feet hurried him across the stage. The handshake and the diploma happened faster than he’d imagined. But when he paused for the photograph, he saw standing in the general seating a large, white sign. Isaiah and Amanda held it. It read, “We Love You, Adam!”

As he rushed toward the stairs, Adam’s eyes stayed glued, not to the sign, but to the young teenager holding it. Sure, he knew he wanted to go into counseling, help kids like him to find their place in the world, but Isaiah was the reason he was staying.

When the last student, by the name Zimmerman, left the stage, the graduation ceremony came to a close. Adam, holding the diploma tube, raced out of the arena floor. The concourse around the arena was flooded with families. Flashes of photography lit up the already lighted area as the young man scanned the crowd.

“Adam!”

He turned at the sound of a familiar voice. Isaiah waved as he raced toward him. “Adam!” he cried again. This time his voice breaking with an adolescent tremor.

Adam dodged and weaved through the crowd until the boy, now a few inches over five feet, plowed into him and threw his arms around him. Raising his voice to be heard over the milieu around them, Isaiah said, “Congratulations. Mom just told me the good news! You’re really going to stay here?”

Adam squeezed the boy in a bear hug, “Yeah. Come on. Let’s go home.”